Silent Prayers
by TVDVampire
Summary: She's putting her entire trust in someone who does not want her to know anything about his past. But sometimes, the past comes back to haunt you, and the outcome can be devastating. AU Stefan/Elena.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: The new story is Silent Prayers, and will focus largely on Stefan and Elena, but other characters, mainly Damon, will also be introduced.**

**I posted the summary on Twitter and on this site and it has been fun watching you all try and guess what is going to happen! I am really hopeful that this story will be a great one as well as an emotional rollercoaster as well.**

**Hint: If at any point in this story you think things are moving fast, good. I want you to feel that way, as it will play an important piece in the storyline later on : )**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Vampire Diaries. This story is for entertainment purposes only.**

**Enjoy and let me know what you think!**

Charleston, South Carolina. Hands down, probably the most beautiful place he had ever lived. The salty ocean breeze made even the warmest day of the year bearable. Sure, there were hurricanes every now and then that kept you indoors, but overall, he enjoyed the rich history the city held, being one of the oldest in the state.

The College of Charleston had been a perfect fit for the past four years, offering him a beautiful, quiet campus to earn his degree in finance. He could not wait to put it to use.

"I'm really going to miss this place" Caroline said, snapping shut the plastic container that had housed her salad from lunch. She was looking around the campus, taking it in.

Stefan smiled at his friend, agreeing with her completely. He hadn't known anyone on campus four years ago, so making friends with such an outgoing social butterfly like Caroline had been necessary. "You're not leaving Charleston, are you?" Stefan asked, turning to look at her sitting next to him on the perfectly manicured lawn in front of the fountain.

Caroline shook her head. "I think I'll try and find a job and see what happens" she answered. "My dad lives here, so at least I'll have some family around" she added, taking out her chapstick and applying a fresh coat to her lips. He was planning on sticking around too, since he loved the city so much and his older brother lived there. It made the most sense for him. "Hey, thanks for volunteering this morning" she said, almost forgetting to thank him. "I wasn't expecting such a large group of interested high school seniors to show up today for campus tours."

Caroline Forbes. Volunteer coordinator for student affairs. Double majored in business and psychology. And minored in physics just for fun. Stefan didn't know how she managed to do it all. Caroline was all energy and no stop. She would be graduating with him in two weeks, top of her class. She truly was a world wonder. "No problem" Stefan told her. He hadn't really minded walking a group of high school seniors around all morning, answering questions and showing them the campus. If nothing else, he could add it to his resume. "Now I get to go and study for my Finance 418 final" he told her. The last final exam he would ever take as a student at The College of Charleston.

Caroline patted his shoulder before standing up. "You've got this" she told him. "You're like, the smartest guy I know when it comes to numbers."

Stefan laughed slightly as he stood up too. He was freakishly good with numbers. Always had been. A degree in finance fit him perfectly, and so would his new job as a financial analyst for a private firm he had interned with the past two summers. "Thanks, Caroline" he told her. "Good luck with the second group of high school students" he said, waving goodbye to her as he watched her jump into action and start directing volunteers nearly the instant she left him.

Stefan tossed his garbage away and was about ready to head for the library when he spotted her.

He took a long moment to study her. He noticed first her long, pin straight chocolate brown hair that fell to the middle of her back, and then her long tan legs that looked amazing in a pair of khaki Bermuda shorts paired with a navy blue button down shirt. She looked casual, yet professional. She also wore glasses with a small black frame which gave off an element of sophistication. She hugged a notepad against her chest as she stood amongst the group of high school students, waiting for the tour to begin.

Stefan's eyes couldn't stop staring. He was completely in awe of her. She carried herself with such maturity, and yet, there was this innocence about her as well. She stayed at the very back of the group, taking in everything around her.

She was absolutely beautiful.

Stefan's eyes never left sight of her as he walked to where Caroline was standing, directing a volunteer. "Hey, can I join another one of these groups and help out?" he asked.

Caroline was scratching notes down on her clipboard. "I thought you had a final to study for?" she asked, not bothering to look up from what she was doing. She was in her zone.

"I'd like to help out some more. I can study tonight" he insisted.

She nodded. "Okay. You can join Andrew's group. Poor soul has all the ones asking questions every two seconds. He barely gets his answer out before someone else asks another" she explained.

But that wasn't the group the beautiful girl was in. "Actually, I was hoping I could join Jenny's group" Stefan told her.

Caroline shook her head no, scratching out something she had written. "She doesn't need help. She's doing a kickass job with these tours" Caroline said.

Stefan hated to be insistent, but he might not ever get the chance to talk to this girl if he couldn't spend some time with her. "Please, Care" Stefan said, almost pleading with her.

Caroline looked up at him, saw his eyes trained on Jenny's group, and then zoned in on what had caught Stefan's attention. Caroline smiled. "The brunette in the back?" she asked, biting down on her pencil as she assessed the girl that her friend was so smitten over. Stefan blushed. "She would be an incoming Freshman" Caroline reminded him, thinking about how young that girl most likely was. Probably 17 or 18.

Stefan kept his eyes on the girl though. "I know" he replied. He'd most likely be four years older than her.

Caroline laughed softly. "Sure, go ahead. Knock yourself out" she said, nodding towards the group Stefan so badly wanted to join.

Stefan squeezed Caroline's arm lightly as a silent thank you before walking quickly to catch up to the group of high school students that had just started their tour. Their tour guide, Jenny, was taking them towards the stadium and track. He felt suddenly nervous walking up behind the girl he had been admiring. She glanced over at him when he fell into step next to her, but she quickly turned her attention back to Jenny who was speaking loudly about sports on campus. "Hi" Stefan said, turning slightly so he could look at her as they walked.

She looked over at him again and met his eyes that were light green and welcoming. "Hi" she said, giving him a small smile.

His heart nearly melted. Not only was she beautiful, but he could tell from her voice that she was a sweet person. "I'm Stefan" he said, holding out his hand to introduce himself properly.

She looked at his hand and then rearranged the notebook in her arms so she could grab his hand, shaking it politely. "I'm Elena" she said softly.

Stefan smiled and he swore she blushed. "That is a very beautiful name, Elena" he told her, holding her hand for another moment before letting it go. She opened her mouth to say something, but didn't quite know what to say to a compliment like that. "So you're thinking about coming here for school in the Fall?" he asked. Then he felt dumb, because of course she was considering it if she was touring the campus.

Elena nodded though as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "So far, I really love the campus" she told him. "The city is really beautiful too" she added.

Stefan's eyes lit up. She enjoyed the city of Charleston as much as he did. "Have you been down to the beach yet?" he asked. That was probably one of his favorite spots. Beautiful blue and green water and light brown sand that sparkled under the sun.

"I haven't had the chance yet" Elena answered. She had stopped paying attention to the tour guide up ahead, finding her conversation with Stefan to be much more interesting. He was extremely handsome, though not much taller than her. Maybe six inches or so. He wore black slacks and a dark gray dress shirt with a matching tie. All of the volunteer campus tour guides were dressed up, as per Caroline's request. "Are you … part of this tour?" Elena asked, smiling at him curiously.

Stefan smiled back at her. "I did a tour earlier this morning, and I decided to help out this afternoon too" he explained.

Elena nodded, accepting his answer. If he had been giving tours, that meant he was graduating at the end of the semester in a few weeks. "Well, I'm glad you decided to help out in my group" Elena told him. Then she looked away, shy over what she had just told him.

Stefan continued to smile. "Me too" he told her.

The tour lasted nearly two hours. Then the students were free to roam around campus on their own. Most were spending the night in a dorm or a nearby hotel. But that was optional and some were even going home that evening.

When the group dispersed, Elena was left standing alone with Stefan. "So …" she said, trying to decide where to go from there.

Stefan realized that she was hinting that they would probably be going their separate ways. He had to act fast. "Would you like to go to one of the parties on campus tonight?" he asked, inviting her. "One of the sorority's is having one tonight. They're pretty tame" he said, realizing that maybe partying wasn't her thing. He sensed her hesitation.

"I can't" she told him, feeling bad for rejecting his offer. She didn't want him to think she didn't want to go. "I live about five hours from here, so I have to leave by six to get home" she said, clarifying why she couldn't go.

"Oh" he said, glad to know she wasn't rejecting him because she wasn't interested. "How about an early dinner, say around 4?" he asked. He wanted to spend more time with her.

Elena looked surprised that he was so persistent in asking her out. Wasn't he like four years older than her? She had heard of times when upperclassmen sought after the incoming freshman, typically for sex. But there was something about Stefan that made her think that wasn't his goal for her that night. "Okay" she said.

Stefan's eyes lit up. Had she really just agreed? "Great" he said with a smile. It was just after two. "Should we meet up right back here at four?" he asked. That would give him at least an hour to study. Or to prepare for his date with Elena.

Elena smiled as she nodded. "That sounds great" she told him. "I have a few things on campus I want to check out" she said, easing his worry that she would have nothing to do until they met back up.

"Perfect. I'll see you at four, Elena" he said, giving her one last smile before he turned and began walking away. He had no idea what he was doing, but he had a really great feeling about it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan was sitting on a picnic bench when she arrived sharply at 4 PM. Stefan was dressed much more casually in blue jeans and a burgundy polo shirt. He stood immediately when he saw her walking down the sidewalk. He was so happy that she had shown up. Even though he had arrived half an hour early, he was having thoughts about being stood up. He only knew her first name, so it would be difficult to find her again. "Hi" he said, smiling at her.

"Hi" she said, smiling shyly at him as she stopped in front of him. She hadn't changed, but she did have her purse with her.

He stuffed his hands in his pocket nervously. "I thought I'd take you to Fleet Landing. It's on the water" he told her.

She smiled, loving the idea of being close to the water. "Can we walk there?" she asked. She wasn't too oriented with the area just yet.

Stefan shook his head no. "I mean, we could. But it would be faster to drive" he explained. "I'm parked across the street" he added, pointing to his green Jeep Wrangler.

She followed Stefan across the street and he opened the passenger door for her. "Thank you" she told him, climbing in. He shut the door for her and ran around to the driver's side. Elena took a moment to survey the inside of his vehicle. It was fairly clean with a vanilla air freshener.

Stefan pulled away from the curb and started down the road. He shut his radio off, hoping to be able to talk with her. But her attention was out the window, taking everything in as they passed by. He really wished she was staying another day, because he would have loved to have shown her around. "St. Mary's is one of the oldest cathedrals in Charleston" Stefan said, pointing off to their right.

Elena's face was practically out the window as she admired the beautiful architecture. "It's so beautiful" Elena said, making a mental note to explore the cathedral if she ended up attending school in Charleston.

Stefan smiled at her enthusiasm, so he continued to point things out to her during their short drive. A few minutes later, the water came into view, as did the smell of the ocean. Stefan found parking along the street and thought that 4 PM was the best time to come for dinner because the Saturday night dinner rush had not started yet. He jumped out of his jeep to get Elena's door, but she had already let herself out. She was staring out at the water in amazement. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked.

Elena nodded as she turned around to face him. "I love the ocean" she told him.

Stefan led the way into the restaurant, holding the door for her. They were seated outside at a small table that overlooked the water. Stefan ordered a Sprite, remembering that she wasn't old enough to drink. She ordered ice tea. Both opened their menus and scanned the contents. Elena noticed that some of the menu items were a little pricey. "Order anything you want" Stefan encouraged. Then he leaned over the table to whisper. "But the Carolina crab cakes are the best, if you like crab" he told her with a small smile.

Elena smiled as well. "I do" she said, closing her menu and trusting his judgment. The waiter, who appeared to know Stefan, took their orders. When they were alone again, Elena smiled at Stefan who couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her. "This is really nice of you, taking me out to dinner" Elena said. She hadn't been out on anything that even closely resembled a date in over a year. And any of those dates had never been at a restaurant like the one she was at with Stefan.

Stefan's eyes lit up. She was happy to be there with him, and that made him think that maybe they could see each other again. "I'm really glad you agreed to join me" Stefan told her. "I usually go out to eat with my brother and, well … he's nowhere near as pretty as you are" Stefan said. Okay, so it was a line. But it was an honest line at least.

Elena failed to hide the fact that she was blushing. But no one had called her pretty in a while either. "How old is your brother?" she asked, noticing Stefan's entire face light up when he realized he was going to get to talk about his brother.

"Damon is 32. He's 10 years older than me" he said, giving her a hint as to how old he actually was. He hoped it wouldn't be an issue that he was probably four years older than her.

Elena played with her water glass. "So, you're graduating soon?" she asked. Stefan nodded. "What did you major in?" she asked curiously.

Stefan felt himself release the breath he had been holding. His age didn't seem to be a big deal to her. "Finance" he answered. "I start working September 1st at a private firm here in Charleston" Stefan added, making sure to let her know that he was planning on sticking around.

"Finance huh?" Elena asked, smiling.

"Yeah" he said, smiling shyly. "I'm not as boring as my major sounds" he promised her. She laughed, and he thought it was such a beautiful sound. He was falling more and more for this girl every minute. "I just do really well with numbers" he said.

"I think anything can be interesting as long as there is passion behind it" she told him, stirring her ice tea with her straw.

Stefan smiled and completely agreed with her. "So what about you? What do you hope to study?" he asked, taking a genuine interest in her.

Elena smiled brightly and Stefan could tell that she was passionate about whatever it was she planned to pursue. "Marine Biology" she answered. "I'm fascinated with marine animals" Elena added. She loved reading about them, seeing them and studying them. "But I'm also really interested keeping their environments safe for them, so studying toxicity levels in the water is something I'd like to explore too."

Stefan was impressed with how detailed her plans were. She really had her heart set on marine biology before she had even started any classes. "What's your favorite marine mammal?" Stefan asked her, feeling himself lean closer to the table.

Elena didn't even have to think about it. "Sea otters" she smiled.

"I like those too" he told her. She smiled some more before looking down at her tea.

Their food arrived and they spent the next hour eating and talking about the college Elena was thinking about attending. Stefan really hoped that she would attend the College of Charleston. He wanted to get to know her even better. Sadly, his evening with her was coming to an end.

"You sure you don't want dessert?" Stefan asked.

Elena shook her head no. "I'm so full" she told him. "I couldn't possibly eat another bite."

Stefan smiled as he waved the waitress over. "The chocolate raspberry cupcakes are amazing. You can take one to go and eat it on your trip back home" he told her, ordering two so he could take one home as well.

Elena was disappointed to see the night coming to an end when Stefan parked his jeep at the spot on campus where they had met earlier. He hopped out of the jeep and went around to open her door for her. Elena stepped out and held her box with her cupcake. "I had a really great time tonight Stefan. Thank you" she told him.

Stefan smiled at her. "I had a really great time too, Elena" he told her honestly. He hadn't had this great of a time on a date in forever.

Elena smiled back. "Goodnight" she told him, knowing she had to get to the bus station and buy her ticket to go back home.

He leaned in suddenly and Elena's heart stopped when she thought he was going to kiss her. She didn't know if she wanted him to kiss her after one date. But she relaxed when she felt his lips land on her cheek. "Goodnight" he told her, leaning back and smiling.

Elena felt herself smile even more as she began walking away from him, still blushing from him being that close to her. She hadn't planned on going out to dinner with anyone while she came to tour the campus. She didn't even know why she had agreed to go out with someone she didn't even know. But spending time with Stefan had been a really nice change for her.

Elena crossed the street when she heard Stefan call her name. She turned around and saw him looking at her. "I'm graduating two weeks from today. Do you think you could make it back down?" he asked, hoping to give her an excuse to come visit so he could see her again. "I can show you more of Charleston" he added.

Elena hesitated. Of course she wanted to, but two weeks was soon. "I'm not sure I will be able to" Elena said, watching his enthusiasm slowly fade. She felt bad, but it just wasn't going to be possible. Or would it? "I'll try" she found herself saying.

"Hang on" Stefan said, opening his jeep door and reaching inside for something. He grabbed a pen and wrote something down on his brother's business card, then walked over to her. "This is my number" he told her, handing her the card. "Call me sometime" he said, flashing her a hopeful smile.

Elena took the card and let her eyes scan the phone number. He backed up and waved to her as he retreated back to his jeep. Elena waved at him too, closing her hand around the card. When she turned around and was faced away from him, she began walking.

She heard Stefan drive off and she turned around just in time to see him disappear down over the hill. Elena smiled, thinking Charleston was already pretty amazing.

**A/N: Hmmm … things are starting off a little too good to be true for my stories, eh? **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks so much for the positive reviews on the first chapter. I know a lot of you are suspicious as to why Stefan and Elena are so happy at the start of this story. How about we enjoy the happiness for a little while? :D **

**Enjoy the second chapter. We meet Damon!**

He fidgeted with the sleeve of his gown, trying to get it to stay down past his wrist. He kept scanning the lawn where all of the families and graduates were gathered, waiting for commencement to begin. Stefan had arrived two hours early just in case she showed up early too. But now with 15 minutes to go before the ceremony started, he was having his doubts that she would come at all. She hadn't called him at all the past two weeks either. He'd be a liar if he said he hadn't checked his phone constantly, looking for a missed call from a number he didn't recognize.

"Who are you looking for?" Damon asked, noticing his brother's eyes scanning the crowd and his inability to stand still.

Stefan sighed. "Just the girl I met a few weeks ago. I invited her to commencement today, but I don't think she's going to show" he said, his voice sounding disappointed.

"Ah" was all Damon replied with. He had remembered the girl Stefan described very well, since Stefan had spent the entire hour of their dinner talking about her. "Did she tell you she would make it?" Damon asked.

"She said she'd try" Stefan answered. He had just really hoped that she would be able to make it. The thought of never seeing her again was depressing.

Damon sighed. "I'm sorry, Stefan" he said, grabbing his younger brother's shoulder. "But today is your day" he reminded Stefan. He smiled when Stefan smiled. "You're graduating from college. I couldn't be prouder."

Stefan knew his brother was right. Today was a big day, and whether or not Elena showed up, he needed to enjoy it. "Thanks Damon" Stefan told him.

"Come on, I'll walk you over so you can get lined up" Damon said, encouraging his brother to walk with him.

They fell into an easy conversation about baseball as they walked. They were two of the biggest sports fans around. "When are we going to catch a Marlins game?" Stefan asked. They hadn't been to one since the season started.

"Funny you should ask that" Damon said, pulling out two tickets from his jacket and handing them to Stefan. "For this Thursday."

Stefan took the tickets and examined the seats. "Behind home plate?" Stefan asked. His smile told Damon how excited he really was. "How did you get these?" he asked.

Damon grinned. "A client of mine was pretty impressed with the work we did in his office" Damon answered. "He threw these in as a thank you."

"This is awesome" Stefan said, stuffing the tickets in his pocket, thinking it was pretty great that Damon was going to take time off from his business on a weekday to take him to the game.

Then Stefan felt someone grab his arm. He turned to find Elena, somewhat out of breath, smiling up at him. "I'm so sorry I'm late. They haven't started yet, have they?" she asked.

Stefan couldn't stop the smile on his face from happening. "No, you're right on time" he told her. "I'm so happy you could make it."

Elena took a slow breath to calm herself. "Me too. There was road construction that delayed my trip down here by almost an hour" she explained quickly, running her hand through her hair nervously as she looked at her feet. But then she suddenly looked up at him again. "I was going to call you …" she said, having no excuse to give except that, well, she just simply hadn't called. She had thought about it, but never seemed to be able to hit the send button.

"Don't worry about it" Stefan said, giving her a reassuring smile. "You're here and that's all that matters." He felt like that day was the best day of his life, well, aside from the day he had met her. "I want you to meet my brother" Stefan said, taking her hand and moving her in front of him. Damon was casually standing beside Stefan, not wanting to interrupt them. "Damon, this is Elena" he said, smiling like an idiot because he was so happy. "Elena, this is my brother Damon" he said, introducing them.

Damon reached his hand out and took hers. "It is so nice to meet you, Elena" he said, looking into her eyes easily. "I know Stefan was really hoping you could make it."

Elena held his easy gaze for a moment before looking away shyly. "It is nice to meet you too, Damon" she said politely. Damon finally let go of her hand and she felt herself relax. She was nervous around new people. Though Damon seemed perfectly nice.

Damon carried himself with such grace that it made Elena very aware of her own presence in front of him.

"Hey, would you want to sit with Damon?" Stefan asked, his entire attention focused on Elena like it had been since she had found him. Damon had to smile because Stefan was no longer excited about the baseball game. Not when Elena was there.

Elena looked up at him and felt herself nod. "Sure" she told him.

"We'll go and find our seats. You'd best get lined up" Damon said, slapping Stefan's shoulder and smiling. Stefan's happiness was infectious. All Damon had ever wanted was for his little brother to be happy.

Damon and Elena walked slowly to the third row of chairs and sat down. Elena kept her eyes on Stefan, who was standing in line. She waved at him and he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. "He's a really great guy" Damon said, looking over at Elena. "I mean, I'm not trying to sell you on him or anything, but he's the best" he told her, smiling.

"You know, when he told me about you, his eyes just … lit up. I can tell he really admires you" Elena told him.

Damon laughed softly. "I'm glad to hear that" he told her. He could remember plenty of times when Stefan was in his rebellious stage and didn't care too much for his big brother sometimes. "I watched him grow up and turn into a respectable young man."

Elena tilted her head slightly as she studied Damon. He definitely was promoting his brother. And she thought it was pretty adorable. "So Stefan's a good guy?" Elena asked.

Damon looked over at Elena and watched a small smirk appear on her face. Damon laughed nervously. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help him out. He really likes you" he told her.

"I see" Elena smiled. "Well, it is very sweet of you to vouch for him." She turned her attention back to the stage as the ceremony began with a speech.

The entire commencement lasted two hours. It was already 5 PM and Elena was dreading the five hour bus ride back home. But the trip was totally worth it to be able to see Stefan again, even if they were seperated for most of her time down there.

Stefan found them easily enough, having kept his eyes on Elena constantly. "Congratulations, man" Damon said, shaking Stefan's hand before pulling him into a brotherly hug that could have easily turned into a wrestling match had there not been so many people around.

Elena stood back and watched them. She had to smile, knowing that those two seemed like they loved each other very much. Then it was her turn to congratulate Stefan. "Congrats" she said, smiling as she played nervously with a button on her dress.

Stefan looked so happy to have her attention. "Thanks" he told her. "Would you join us for dinner tonight?" Stefan asked.

His eyes looked hopeful, and that made it difficult for her to give him her answer. "I'd love to …" she began. "But I take the bus and the last one leaves Charleston at six" Elena explained.

I could drive you home" Stefan offered quite quickly. Elena opened her mouth to kindly decline his offer, but Stefan was quick to try and change her mind. He just didn't want to lose time with her. "I don't mind" he insisted. Stefan looked to his brother for help.

"I live five hours from here" Elena told them. That wasn't her only concern. She wasn't sure how comfortable she was riding alone in a car with him for that long.

Stefan looked so disappointed that she didn't want him to take her home. His eyes avoided hers and he stood there quietly. Damon couldn't stand it. "Stefan is used to driving those distances. He drives down to South Florida quite often to visit family" Damon told her. Then he looked down at her with kind eyes. "It would mean so much to us if you came to dinner tonight" he said, smiling genuinely.

Elena looked hesitant. She was trying to find a good excuse to get out of it, but realized she couldn't because she honestly wanted to go. There was something about Stefan that was drawing her in, even when she would normally be so cautious with other guys.

But Stefan was sweet and he seemed genuine and interested in her. He wanted to get to know her, and truthfully, she wanted to get to know him too. "Okay" Elena answered, hoping she wouldn't regret it.

Stefan was incredibly happy that she had said yes. So was Damon. "Excellent" Damon said. "Stefan's favorite place is this little pizza place downtown" he said, enlightening Elena on what she had to look forward to.

"But if you'd rather have something different, we can go elsewhere" Stefan said quickly. Damon looked at him curiously, because they had the pizza place planned for months as the spot to celebrate Stefan's graduation.

Elena smiled. "I love pizza" she told him. She was a bit surprised that Stefan would be willing to change his plans for her, but maybe he was just trying to impress her. They began walking towards a black Lexus, and Elena assumed it belonged to Damon.

Stefan didn't say anything, but he did look at Damon and they both shared a smile. Damon was aware of Stefan having dated girls in college, but he had never met any of them. So there must have been something pretty special about this girl Elena.

Stefan opened the door for Elena and she carefully slid into the leather seat, setting her purse on her lap. Stefan shut the door and went around the other side so he could sit in the back with her.

Damon remained invisible in the driver's seat, though he was secretly listening to Stefan and Elena's conversations. He smiled. His little brother was so into Elena, and he hoped that Elena was just as interested.

During dinner, they kept the conversation light. They shared a large Hawaiian pizza on bar stools surrounding a small round table. And the best part was, they were all having a really great time.

Stefan had shed his cap and gown, looking very handsome in his black pants and green shirt with a black tie. His hair was slightly messy in the front, which was from him running his fingers through his hair nervously every time he looked at Elena. "Elena's interested in Marine Biology" Stefan mentioned.

Damon looked up from his pizza and smiled. "Really?" Damon asked.

Elena nodded shyly. Although she felt reasonably comfortable with Stefan and Damon, she still reminded herself that they were essentially strangers. "I plan on majoring in Marine Biology" she told him.

Damon was impressed that she had goals. "You know" Damon said, leaning back in his chair. "When Stefan was ten, I took him to the beach and he found all these little crabs under a rock. He begged me to keep one, so I said yes" he said. Elena smiled as she listened. "I figured it would only live a day or two, but the damn thing lived a whole year" he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Elena laughed as she looked at Stefan. "Did you name it?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah" Stefan said, laughing nervously. Her big brown eyes stared at him, patiently waiting for an answer. "Crabby" he answered. Elena was laughing at his answer.

"I think I kept the local pet store in business that entire year, buying stuff for that crab" Damon informed her. "But Stefan was so happy" he concluded.

"That's all that matters, right?" Elena asked. Damon wholeheartedly agreed with her.

"I loved that crab" Stefan sighed. "It had probably been dead for a while, but Damon kept telling me it was sleeping" he said, grinning as his brother burst into laughter once again, as did Elena. When the laughter died down, Stefan turned to look at Elena. "Should we get going?" Stefan asked. It was half passed six.

Elena looked at the clock on the wall and nodded. She couldn't believe it was 6:30 already. "Yes, I think we should" Elena replied. She stood, as did both guys. "Damon, thank you for dinner. I had a great time tonight" she told him.

Damon smiled. "It was a pleasure having you here with us" he told her.

"Thanks Damon" Stefan said, pulling his big brother into a hug. Then his hand rested lightly against Elena's back, steering her out of the busy restaurant. They got back in Damon's car to be dropped off back at campus.

"You two have a safe drive" Damon told them, waving goodbye when he saw them both safely in Stefan's jeep.

Stefan and Elena both put their seatbelts on, looked at each other, and smiled. "And we're off" Stefan said, pulling out of his parking spot.

They got a few miles down the road before Elena said anything. "So, how does it feel to be done with school?" Elena asked him.

Stefan shrugged. "I don't know yet" he said. "I guess I can look forward to not having to get up at 8:00 in the morning for classes" he said, turning and giving her a smile. "By the way, Walters for math? Avoid him like the plague" he told her. Then he paused. "I mean, if you decide to go to school here" he added quickly.

Elena smiled. "I'm still deciding, but every time I come here, I like it more and more" Elena told him, looking away from him shyly when he looked so intently at her. "But Walters, got it" she added.

"Is there anything I can do to convince you to pick The College of Charleston?" he asked her. He'd do just about anything to convince her to go there.

"You're doing a pretty good job so far" she told him, sharing a smile with him. She looked out the window and thought about what could possibly hold her back from choosing to move to Charleston. She really couldn't think of one single thing.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"It's the blue house on the right up here" Elena said, pointing out her house for Stefan. He pulled into the driveway and saw that there were no lights on.

Stefan looked at the small house and watched Elena shift nervously in her seat. "Are your parents home?" he asked. He knew it was late, but it was also a Saturday. "I'd love to meet them" he told her. He wanted them to be comfortable with him, seeing as he was a few years older than Elena.

Elena tucked her hair behind her ears. "No, they're not" she told him, turning towards him. "Listen, thank you so much for driving me home" she said. "Are you sure you're okay to drive back?" she asked.

He was pretty tired, but the last thing he wanted to do was impose on her by staying the night, if she even offered. Her parents might not like that idea either, if they came home and found him. "I'm fine" he said, smiling at her. "I'll walk you to your door" he offered.

Elena dug her keys out of her purse as she walked with Stefan. She opened her front door and flipped on the porch light. "Would you like to come in for a minute?" Elena asked.

Yes, yes he wanted to. But again, he didn't want to rush anything. "I should probably get going" he told her, smiling gently. "Thank you, for coming down for my graduation" he said. "It meant a lot to me."

Elena's eyes studied his, letting it sink in how much he enjoyed seeing her that day. "I'm happy I was able to see you today" she said. Elena noticed him staring at her.

"I umm …" he began, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He didn't know what it was about her that made him so shy or nervous. Maybe it was because she was perfect, and he was scared to do something that would make her run the other way. "Would it be alright … if I kissed you goodnight?" he asked nervously. Then he panicked. "I'm sorry, I … I shouldn't have even asked you that" he told her, taking a few steps back. "Have a good night, Elena" he said, turning to leave.

"Wait" Elena said. She saw Stefan slowly turn around and she felt so bad for him. He was so nervous and it was kind of adorable. "Yes" she said. "You may kiss me goodnight" she told him, smiling softly.

He looked surprised, but also relieved. "Are you sure?" he asked. Elena nodded. "Okay" he said, smiling. He walked back towards her and looked into her brown eyes, waiting for the right moment. Then he leaned in slowly, closed his eyes and brushed his lips over hers gently.

As nervous as he was, Elena was pretty sure it was still the best kiss she had ever received. It lasted only seconds before he was pulling away, and she had to admit, she was a tad bit disappointed that it had ended so quickly.

Stefan was smiling when the kiss had ended though. "Goodnight, Elena" he said quietly. He noted that she was smiling too and he took that as a good sign. He left her standing there and walked back to his car.

"Stefan" Elena said, just as he reached his jeep. He looked up at her and saw that she was still smiling. "I'll call you" she called out.

"Promise?" Stefan asked.

Elena smiled. "Promise" she told him. Then she slowly turned around and went into her house. She heard Stefan's door shut and she watched him leave from her window.

Elena smiled the entire way to her room, thinking that she had just gotten herself into something pretty special.

**A/N:**

**So, what do we think about Damon? **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So many of you are guessing what you think is going on with Stefan! Quite a few of you think he murdered someone in the past. You won't find out what is going on until Elena does. But I am enjoying your ideas :)**

**Thank you so much for the reviews! Quite a few for the first two chapters. I feel so loved!**

He felt something hit his face and when his eyes opened, he saw Damon staring down at him. Damon was grinning as he smacked Stefan with the pillow again. "Damon, what the hell" Stefan groaned, feeling pretty damn exhausted. Stefan rolled over and ended up rolling off of the couch he had passed out on just a few hours earlier.

"What time did you get in?" Damon asked, sitting down on the coffee table and looking down at his brother.

Stefan yawned. "Four this morning" Stefan answered. He had driven straight home after dropping Elena off at her house. "I'm really tired, and why aren't you working?" Stefan asked. He was regretting giving Damon a key to his place because it gave Damon the freedom to drop by whenever he felt like it.

Damon smiled. It was true. He worked a lot, even on Sundays to keep his construction business flourishing. Although Damon was the owner of his own business, he still put in the long hours that his employees did. "I was hoping to spend the morning with my little brother" Damon stated.

Stefan placed his arm over his face, blocking out his brother in hopes that he would leave. "I'm tired" Stefan sighed.

Damon laughed. "Maybe if you weren't up half the night driving your girlfriend home" he teased.

Stefan rolled his eyes, fighting back a smile. "She's not my girlfriend" Stefan reminded him. She was just a girl he really, really liked.

Damon grinned. "Okay" he said. He knew Stefan liked her, so he planned on giving him a hard time about it, like any older brother would. "I suppose I'll get back to work then" Damon told him.

Stefan's cell phone began ringing as Damon walked past the table. Damon picked it up and studied the number. "Who is it?" Stefan asked sleepily.

Damon smiled. "I'm not sure. But it is a Virginia number" he replied. Stefan jumped up from the floor as fast as he could and reached for his phone. Damon pulled it out of his reach, much to Stefan's displeasure. "If you answer right away, you'll seem desperate" Damon informed him.

Stefan reached for the phone again, hearing it continue to ring. "I am desperate" Stefan stated. "Give it." He wanted to talk to Elena more than anything else at that moment. Damon struggled with Stefan for a bit, placing his hand on Stefan's face to keep him from getting the phone. They ended up on the floor, wrestling with each other. By the time Stefan got the phone from Damon, the phone had stopped ringing. "Damnit Damon!" Stefan cursed, looking at his screen with the missed call. He had Damon pinned down to the floor.

Damon laughed, which irritated Stefan. "Did she leave a message?" Damon asked.

Stefan looked at his screen again and saw that there was, in fact, a voicemail. "She left a message" Stefan said calmly, still holding Damon down. Then Stefan's eyes lit up. "She left a message!" he yelled, getting up off of his brother and pacing the length of his living space. "How long do I wait before I call her back?" he asked, opening the voicemail and putting the phone on speaker so Damon could hear too.

"Hi Stefan. This is … Elena" she said, sounding really nervous and really adorable. "I guess you must still be asleep, but I wanted to call and thank you again for taking me home last night." There was a short pause before she spoke again. "I would love it if you could give me a call back … when you have time. So … I will talk to you soon I hope" she said, before the voicemail ended.

Damon looked at Stefan, and both were smiling. "I think it is okay to call her back now" Damon chuckled, getting up and slapping Stefan on the shoulder.

Stefan waited until Damon left before he called Elena back. The phone rang a few times before he heard her quiet voice. "Hi" he said. "This is Stefan" he added quickly, then closed his eyes, feeling stupid because she probably knew that.

"Hi Stefan" she said. She sounded happy that he was on the phone. "I didn't wake you, did I?" she asked, knowing that he probably did not get home until earlier that morning.

"No no" Stefan said, assuring her. "My brother did, actually. He came over early this morning to bug me" he explained. Stefan heard Elena laugh softly and he decided it was the best sound he had ever heard.

"Nice brother, huh?" she asked. Though, she really did like Damon.

Stefan laughed, completely agreeing with her. "He likes to give me a hard time sometimes, but he's the best big brother anyone could ask for."

There was a pause on her end before she replied. "I can tell you two are very close. It is so nice to see two brothers who love each other as much as you two love one another" she told him.

Stefan smiled. He really did love his brother, looked up to him and depended on him. He didn't know what he would do without Damon. "I'm really glad you called" Stefan told her.

"Me too" she said softly.

They ended up talking on the phone for the next two hours. He suddenly wasn't so tired anymore.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan finished tying his tie as he stood in front of the mirror. It was early, but he had a reason for being up. He also had his brother on speaker phone, explaining his plans for the weekend. "Yeah, I'm leaving for Virginia in about 15 minutes" he told Damon.

"So Elena invited you to her graduation?" Damon asked. He knew that Stefan and Elena had been talking on the phone a lot the past two weeks.

"No" Stefan answered. "I'm surprising her" he added. Stefan figured that Elena hadn't wanted to ask him to her graduation because she thought it would be an inconvenience. But he really had an open schedule until the end of the summer. "I'm hoping to meet her parents today" Stefan said, adjusting his tie.

"Good luck" Damon said. He knew how nerve-wracking it could be to meet the parents. "Just be yourself. They'll love you" he assured his little brother.

"Even though I'm four years older than her and I just graduated college?" Stefan asked.

Damon laughed. "I might not open up with, hi, I'm Stefan and I'm four years older than your little girl" Damon told him.

Stefan grinned. "Thanks, Damon" he said, enjoying his brother's joking. "Hey, I gotta get going. I probably won't be home until late. I might even get a hotel and drive home tomorrow."

"Drive safe" Damon said before he hung up.

Stefan looked at himself in the mirror one last time before grabbing his phone and going to pack an overnight bag, just in case.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena wrung her hands together nervously, watching as people walked past her. The day was beautiful with the sun shining and the skies blue. Everyone was happy and smiling, but she didn't want to be there at her graduation that afternoon. She almost didn't get out of bed that morning, but she made herself. It was an important day, graduating high school, and she deserved to experience it. Dressed in her cap and gown, she should have been ready to tackle the day.

She smiled nervously at those who passed her, but tears welled up in her eyes the closer she got to actually having to line up. All the other graduates would have family in the audience taking photos and videos of them to remember their special day.

Elena closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm herself down. She refused to cry and draw attention to herself. It would be a good day, because graduation meant she was moving in the right direction. And in the Fall, she would be attending college. Then she would get a job and somewhere along the line, she hoped to fall in love.

"Elena" he said, interrupting her thoughts.

Elena turned to see Stefan standing just a few feet from her, dressed nicely and holding a bouquet of flowers and a small teddy bear wearing a graduation cap. As sad as she was, it made her smile. "What are you doing here?" she asked. She was surprised, yet happy to see him. Finally, she wasn't the only graduate to be alone on graduation day.

Stefan approached slowly, taking it as a good sign that she was smiling. He handed her the flowers, and then the teddy bear. "Well, I found out you were graduating today and I thought I would drive up here and surprise you" he said, smiling at her.

"Well I am surprised" Elena laughed softly. "Thank you. These are beautiful" she told him, smelling her flowers. Then she stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a hug. He truly had lifted her spirits.

Stefan welcomed the hug and was thrilled to receive it. "You're welcome, Elena" he said, letting her go when he felt her let him go first. They both heard the announcement for the graduates to lineup. "I'll keep these safe" Stefan promised, taking the bear and flowers back. He gave her one last smile before she walked away to line up with her classmates.

Stefan found a seat towards the back and took his phone out so he could take pictures for her. As the ceremony progressed, one family would scream and holler for their graduate as he or she crossed the stage.

But when it came time for Elena to accept her diploma, Stefan didn't hear anyone yelling for her. There was polite clapping that everyone gave for each graduate, but he couldn't point out any one person in particular who was thrilled to be witnessing Elena Gilbert graduating. It saddened him. Despite how he felt, he still managed to stand up and shout out to Elena while taking pictures of her. She paused for a moment on the stage, found him in the audience making a ridiculous amount of noise for her, and smiled, somewhat embarrassed to have all of that attention, but also feeling better about herself. Because she had someone there for her. She hadn't asked him to be there. He had decided on his own. Elena waved at Stefan as she exited the stage to take a seat.

Her feet bounced under her as she anxiously waited for graduation to end. Finally, the closing speaker had finished and she stood with her classmates and tossed her cap into the air.

Stefan was waiting for her as the crowd dispersed. While all the other graduates were walking off with their loved ones, Elena was standing alone, staring at Stefan. Slowly, she walked towards him. He was looking at her, wanting to ask where her parents were. She felt like she owed him an explanation. "My parents passed away last year" she said quietly. That's why they weren't there with her. Then Elena looked past him, focusing on a small bird that was hopping around on the ground, looking for food. "I don't really have a relationship with extended family" she added.

Stefan sighed, thinking that was probably the saddest thing she could tell him. "Do you live by yourself, too?" he asked. He really hoped she had a roommate at least.

Elena nodded her head and it broke his heart. "For about a year now" she answered, looking back up at him. She saw him concentrating on her and she wished he wouldn't. "Please don't be sad for me" she told him. "I'm okay" she promised him. It was the truth. She wasn't great, but she wasn't miserable all the time either. She was somewhere in the middle. Some days were better than others, but overall, she lived her life.

He just didn't think that it was fair, for someone as sweet and kind as Elena to be by herself. "I am sad" Stefan told her, finding her eyes that had done such a good job of avoiding his. "I know I haven't known you very long, but I can already tell that you deserve to have people in your life who can appreciate what an amazing person you are" he told her sincerely. It might have been a long shot, but he wanted her to know that he would be one of those people if she let him.

There was silence between them for a moment as she studied his eyes, trying to figure out just where he had come from. The last thing she had ever expected was to have such a great guy walk into her life. "Thank you, Stefan" she told him. It was nice to hear that someone thought you were amazing.

Stefan smiled, glad to know that she had accepted what he thought of her. "Here. You can have these back" Stefan said, giving her the flowers and teddy bear back.

Elena smiled as she gathered them up in her arms. "Do you … do you want to go and grab a coffee?" Elena asked. It wasn't quite dinner time yet, but coffee sounded really good at the moment. "There's a great little coffee stand around the corner" she told him.

"I would love to" Stefan told her, smiling as he walked next to her. They stayed on the sidewalk, passing by trees that provided some shade. "I have some pictures for you" he said, taking his phone out of his pocket and showing her the ones he took as she accepted her diploma.

Elena leaned in closer to him so she could see. "Those are really good" Elena told him.

Stefan agreed with her, but it wasn't because he was a great photographer. It was because she was so beautiful. "I'll make sure to get these to you" he promised her. Elena looked up at him as they walked and smiled, then looked straight ahead, still smiling.

They each ordered a coffee and sat down on a nearby bench. "So I've been doing some thinking and I think I'm going to go to school in Charleston" Elena said, taking a sip of her coffee and waiting for his reaction.

He was happy, of course. "Really?" he asked, barely able to contain his excitement. "Elena, that's great news!" he told her. He turned towards her and saw that she was smiling too. "I'm really, really happy for you" he said honestly.

Elena took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Thanks" she told him. "I just have a lot of get done before I move and I'm a bit overwhelmed" she admitted.

"What exactly is overwhelming you?" Stefan asked, lending her his full attention so he could try and help her. He hated to think that she was stressed out in any way.

Elena sighed. What wasn't she overwhelmed about? "Well, for starters, I have to find an apartment in Charleston" she told him. Then she turned and faced him, her face looking hopeful. "Do you think if I came down next weekend, you could help me look at a few?" she asked. Elena didn't know the area that well yet, and she figured Stefan would be the perfect person to show her around. "I mean, if you have time" she quickly added.

Stefan smiled. "Of course I have time" he told her. He was actually pretty excited about it. Elena smiled as she sat back in the bench again, feeling a little bit of that weight off of her shoulders. "What else?" Stefan asked.

Elena laughed, finding his enthusiasm endearing. "Packing and doing the actual moving" she answered. Just thinking about it gave her a headache.

"Done. Damon and I can get a truck and come up on a weekend to help move you" Stefan said.

"I can't let you do that" Elena told him, shaking her head. "I appreciate the offer, but you helping me find a place is already too much" Elena said. She couldn't impose on Stefan or his brother like that.

"We'd be happy to help you" Stefan assured her. He placed his arm around the back of the bench and relaxed next to her. "What else?" he asked.

Elena smiled, feeling incredibly lucky to have someone who wanted to help her out. "How much time to you have?" she asked.

Stefan shrugged. "However much time you need" he said, flashing her a smile.

They sat next to each other and Stefan let her run through the entire list of things she needed to do to get settled into Charleston. He offered to help her with each and every thing she listed off.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan spent the entire following Saturday morning taking Elena around to various apartments in Charleston within walking distance to campus or on the bus line. And although they looked at a lot of apartments, he was having a great time.

Elena was funny once she was comfortable and felt like she could open up. They could even play off of one another, which typically ended in laughter. It was a great feeling.

"Okay, I think this one is last on the list" Stefan said, stopping his jeep in front of a newer apartment complex. Elena looked out the window and studied the building. It was gorgeous, but she had a feeling it was way out of her price range. "Come on" Stefan said, getting out and running around to open her door for her.

They walked inside together and Elena turned in a circle, taking in the interior of the apartment lobby. It was definitely out of her price range, but it was beautiful. "This place is gorgeous" Elena said, still in awe of it. She wished she could be lucky enough to live there.

"There's a fountain out back" he told her, nodding his head for her to follow him. She followed him into an elevator and she wondered if they were allowed to just wander around like they were without speaking with the manager. "The building is pretty new, and it is on a bus line that will get you to campus under 15 minutes" Stefan said, exiting the elevator on the top floor.

Elena stopped when she saw Stefan open the door at the end of the hall. He turned and looked at her expectantly. "You live here?" Elena asked. Of course he did. He had money, or so she assumed.

He shrugged and smiled shyly. "Yeah" he answered. "For four years now" he added. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't. "Do you want to see what the inside looks like?" he asked her.

Part of her didn't want to, because she knew she could never afford to rent there. But the other part of her wanted to see the inside, because she had a suspicion that it was beautiful inside too. "Okay" she said, smiling softly as she walked towards him. He held the door for her and when she walked inside, her jaw had a hard time staying shut. Hard wood floors covered a large and spacious living area and continued down the hall. Area rugs gave the room an inviting feel, as did the leather couch and loveseat. As she walked further inside, she found floor to ceiling windows overlooking a pond showcasing the fountain he had mentioned. "Oh my gosh" Elena said, standing in front of the window and watching the water. The lawn was well landscaped, and the plants and flowers were flourishing. "You're so lucky to get to live here" Elena said, giving him a knowing smile.

Stefan came to stand next to her, admiring the view he was lucky enough to see every day. "I love it here" he told her. "Come here" he said, taking her hand gently and leading her down the hallway. Stefan opened the first door on the left and turned on the light. They were standing in a large guest room that housed a bed, a nightstand and a lamp. The basics were there, and the window had a view of the pond and fountain as well. "This place has two bedrooms, and I'm the only one living here" he told her.

Elena knew right away what he was offering. She shook her head quickly. "There is no way I could afford to pay you rent for this place" she told him. Even if she got a part time job while she attended school.

"I'm not asking you to pay anything" he told her. She looked at him, set to argue. But he needed to beat her to it. "I've been paying the rent on my own for four years, so I'm not looking for any extra income" he assured her.

Elena sighed. "I can't live here free and clear, Stefan. I'd feel horrible" she told him. She had been looking out for herself for a year. She couldn't freeload off of someone now.

"Do you cook?" he asked her quickly. Elena looked at him quizzically. "Because I don't. I mean … I can't. I'm horrible, so I eat out way more than I should. It would be nice to eat at home instead of always bringing take-out home" he rambled, laughing kind of nervously as he ran his hand through his hair. "And, since I will be starting a full time job in September, it would be nice to have some help with the household chores" he added. Quite honestly, he just wanted someone to come home to in the evenings. Not necessarily romantically, but a friend at least.

Elena was grateful for his offer, but still reluctant. "I can cook" she said nodding her head. She was really good, in fact. Or so, people had told her. "And I would be more than happy to help out around here. But, that still doesn't seem fair" she admitted. She didn't want him to end up resenting her for not helping out financially.

Stefan understood how she felt. "I'm really sure about this, Elena. This room doesn't get used. And it would be nice to have another person here" he added. Stefan backed out of the room and opened the door across the hall. "You'd have your own bathroom" he said, showing her. "My room is the next door down" he said, wanting to assure her that he would sleep in another room and that she would have her privacy. "I also have a storage unit in the basement if you have stuff you need to store." He could tell she was thinking it over, so he smiled, knowing there was one other thing he could say to entice her. "There's a pool" he told her.

Elena couldn't help but smile as well. Sure, she had other options. She could find another apartment, deal with the application process and living alone again. Or, she could accept Stefan's offer, and have a roommate. "I want you to take some time and think about what you're offering" she told him, wanting him to be completely sure.

Stefan kept smiling. "I won't change my mind, but if you would like me to think it over, I will" he promised her. "When would you be moving?" he asked.

Elena bit her bottom lip as she thought it over. "Ideally, by the end of the month" she told him, which was in three weeks. "That's when my lease is up in Virginia."

Stefan gave a low whistle. "Well, you'd best get packing then" he said, smiling at her. They walked down the hallway and entered the living area. Elena was smiling, excited about this possible new chapter in her life. Her first roommate. "Do you watch sports?" Stefan asked, grabbing the remote off of the table and turning on an 85 inch flat screen hanging on the wall. A baseball game was on ESPN.

"I guess I'm going to have to learn" Elena said, laughing. Clearly, sports were a big part of Stefan's life.

Stefan smiled and switched the T.V. off. "So, you're moving in?" he asked, praying like crazy that she was.

"I'm not sure I can turn down the offer" Elena admitted. Her savings was dwindling. And what if she couldn't find a job right away? "But just so we are clear, I'm moving in as a roommate, right?" she asked cautiously.

Stefan could tell she was nervous about his intentions, and honestly, he didn't blame her. She barely knew him. "Have a seat" Stefan said, sitting on the couch and patting the spot next to him. When she sat down, he turned and looked at her, all traces of joking and having fun, gone for the moment. "I know we don't know each other all that well" he told her. Elena nodded. "And I know I'm asking a lot of you by asking you to trust me. But I'd never do anything to make you feel uncomfortable" he told her. "And I swear, all I am asking for in return is your cooking skills" he added, shooting her a small smile.

Other guys in his situation might have been interested in taking her to bed in exchange for letting her stay there. But it wasn't even on his radar. He just wanted her to be happy, and to enjoy school like he had. And selfishly, yes, he wanted her company so he wasn't so lonely either.

Elena did trust him. Why? She didn't know. But her instincts told her that he was a good person. And if worse came to worse, she could move out. "You promise you're not a serial killer?" she asked. She said it so seriously, but her eyes told him she was holding back a smirk.

Stefan laughed. "Not that I know of" he replied. "But I wouldn't take it personally if you wanted to run a background check on me" he added.

Elena grinned. "You'd be in jail if there was any record of it" she pointed out.

"True" Stefan said and they both shared a laugh.

Elena took a long breath and felt herself relax. It was change and it was scary, but something told her to go for it. "Okay" she answered. "I'll be your roommate."

**A/N: Hmmm … moving in with a guy you barely know? Things are kind of moving fast. This is intentional. **

**I would love to read your thoughts on what is going on this chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here is Ch. 4! Thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoy a little more insight into their lives in this update.**

**I was asked if Bonnie or Caroline would be making appearances. Caroline was in the first chapter, as a graduating student with Stefan. She'll show up again. And I can tell you that Bonnie will appear too eventually! **

The crowd was lively at an afternoon Braves game, and Stefan was happy that Damon and him had made the drive down to Atlanta to watch the game. Both chomped down on the polish dogs loaded with relish and onions that they had purchased on their way to their seats. "So, Elena's moving in with me next weekend" Stefan said, figuring it was as good of a time as any to tell Damon. He had already told Damon about how Elena had lost her parents and lived all alone. He told Damon pretty much everything, because Damon usually had great advice. If nothing else, Damon was a great listener.

Damon nearly choked on his food though, setting the rest of it aside and desperately reaching for his beer to wash it down. "What?" he asked, not trusting his own ears.

Stefan nodded. "She decided to go to school here, needed a place to stay, and I suggested that she move in with me" Stefan stated. "I've got the extra room" he reminded.

Damon sighed. "Oh, Stefan" he said, getting ready to give his lecture. "I know you like the girl, but asking her to move in?" Damon asked. He didn't think it was a good idea at all.

"She's moving in as a roommate" Stefan assured him. "People move in together on short notice all the time" he said defensively. That's what college was all about.

Damon opened his mouth to argue, but realized he didn't have a valid argument that wouldn't lead to a fight. Even if they had a great relationship, they still sometimes butted heads over certain things. "Look Stefan, I don't want to tell you what to do" Damon said instead.

"Then don't" Stefan shot at him. "Be my brother, not my parental figure." He was really excited about Elena living with him. He wanted his big brother to be excited for him too.

Damon felt horrible for questioning Stefan. Sometimes he really did forget that Stefan was 22. "You're right. I'm sorry" Damon told him. "If you and Elena made the decision to live together, then I support it" he stated.

"Really?" Stefan asked hesitantly. He couldn't tell if Damon was being honest or just accepting the news to avoid arguing.

"Really" Damon said, nodding his head. He smiled and slapped his brother's back. "So, can I do anything to help?" he asked, resuming eating his ballgame snack.

Stefan smiled as he relaxed back into his seat. "Elena is going to need some help moving" Stefan told him.

"I can take all of Sunday off. We can take one of the company trucks and drive up there" Damon offered.

"Thanks" Stefan said, knowing he could count on his brother for help. "This is going to be a good thing, you'll see" he said confidently.

Damon wanted to believe his brother, even though he still had his concerns.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Moving day had gone exceptionally well, thanks to Stefan who had enlisted Damon's help. Elena had been a packing machine the entire week, boxing everything up and labeling everything she would be taking with her. She didn't have too much to take, keeping in mind that she was moving into Stefan's place and she didn't want to take up too much of his space. Anything she wasn't bringing along was being donated.

Elena sat on the floor of her new bedroom in Stefan's apartment, surrounded by large and small boxes housing the only belongings she had left. She felt overwhelmed. She had all those boxes to unpack, and she was in a brand new place. The realization of this change in her life was hitting her all at once as she sat silently in her new room.

Stefan tapped on her doorframe, grabbing her attention. "You doing okay?" he asked. He hadn't seen much of her since he had helped her move all of her boxes into her room. That had been over an hour ago.

Elena nodded, hoping to be convincing. "Yeah" she answered, giving him a small smile.

He could tell right away that she was overwhelmed, by the way she sat by herself in the room, having not unpacked one thing. He understood what she was going through. He had experienced something similar at one point. "Do you want to go do something fun?" Stefan asked, figuring it would be a nice break for her.

Elena's eyes slowly came to life. "Yes" she said, relieved that he had offered. She didn't want to unpack right away, and she didn't want to sit in an empty room full of boxes either.

"Feel like going for a swim?" Stefan asked. "I just checked and the pool is empty" he added. Elena looked so much happier at that moment and he was glad to know he could help her in some way.

"Give me five minutes to change?" Elena asked.

Stefan smiled at her. "Sure" he said, backing away from her door.

"Maybe ten. I don't know which box I put my swimsuit in" Elena told him. She heard Stefan laugh as he walked down the hall to his room. Elena quickly shut her door and went to work opening all of her boxes, guessing which one had her swimsuit.

It was about ten minutes exactly when Stefan saw Elena again. "Ready?" Stefan asked, looking up from his phone to find Elena walking towards him in a white cover-up dress. She had put her hair up in a high ponytail and wore black flip flops that matched the black bikini she had underneath. He was too busy staring to have heard her answer. "Huh?" he asked, tearing his eyes away from her body and looking at her eyes instead.

"Yes" Elena repeated. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder that had her sunglasses and sunscreen.

"Great" Stefan said, standing quickly. "I grabbed you a towel" he said, handing her one of his navy blue ones.

"Thanks" she said, hugging it against her as she followed him out of the apartment. "Can we take the stairs?" Elena asked as they walked. She preferred the stairs for the workout.

"Sure" Stefan told her, bypassing the elevator and opening the door for her that led to the stairwell. "I've got a lease agreement that you'll have to sign" he mentioned as they finished one flight of stairs and started descending down the next. "Then we can stop by the front desk and get you a key."

"Thank you, Stefan. Really. For everything" Elena told him. "You're being entirely too generous." She honestly didn't know what she had done to deserve his help.

Stefan smiled as he walked with her. "You're welcome" he replied. He was so excited to be able to help her. "I really want you to feel at home here, so, feel free to move things around, redecorate, whatever you want" Stefan told her. He really wasn't set on the layout of his apartment.

Stefan opened the door for her again and they stepped outside onto the pool deck. "Maybe I can decorate my room a bit" Elena said. It was kind of bare in there.

"That room really could use it" Stefan agreed with a smile.

"It's a nice room though" Elena said, making sure that he knew how appreciative she was. "I'll think on it" she told him.

They picked out lounge chairs sitting in the sun and dropped their towels on them. There was now an older brother with his little sister in the pool, but they were at the shallow end. "It's never this empty on a weekend" Stefan mentioned.

Elena watched the brother help his sister. She wouldn't have minded a crowded pool as long as everyone was happy and having fun. "Do you need sunscreen?" Elena asked, pulling out the spray on stuff she liked to use.

"Nah" Stefan said. "I don't burn" he told her, peeling his t-shirt off.

Elena eyed him closely, not quite believing him. He had paler skin than she did, but she didn't know him well enough to hassle him about it either. She also tried to pretend that he didn't have the best looking body that she had even seen in person. Elena slipped out of her dress and gave Stefan a view that he was sure would be burned into his memory for quite some time. Then she sprayed herself down. "Can you get my back?" Elena asked, holding out the bottle and lifting up her ponytail.

"What?" Stefan asked, too distracted by her in just a black bikini to have heard what she had said.

Elena blushed, clearly aware that she had Stefan's attention. Elena could name a handful of guys who had told her she was attractive, though she hadn't really agreed with them. She just never considered herself someone who guys should fantasize over. "I asked if you could spray my back" Elena repeated.

Stefan felt like an idiot, practically drooling over his new roommate, who he had no intention of pursuing at the moment. Then again, she was admiring him, so, fair was fair he supposed. "Yeah, sure" Stefan said, taking the bottle from her and spraying all down her back.

Elena thanked him as she took her bottle back. "Are you sure?" she asked, waving the bottle slightly to try and persuade him to put some sunscreen on.

"I really don't burn" he insisted, smiling though because she obviously cared about his wellbeing.

Elena sighed, still not believing him. "Okay" she said, tossing the bottle back in her bag.

Stefan stood at the pool's edge and looked back at her. "Are you a jump all-in kind of girl, or do you prefer the slow, easing on in approach?" he asked. He dipped his toe in the water and wondered how the water could be so cold when summer was in full swing.

Elena smiled. She just moved in with a complete stranger to start her college career. Of course she was an all-in kind of girl. "Depends" she shrugged, deciding to let him figure it out. "How about you?" she asked, walking towards him. She stood next to him at the pool's edge and looked down at the clear water.

"Definitely like to ease in" Stefan told her. "Especially when the water is this cold" he added.

Elena nodded. "That's understandable" she agreed. "But sometimes life is unpredictable" she added.

Stefan looked at her curiously. "Yeah, I suppose so" he told her, right before he felt her pushing him and a devious little smirk appear on her face. He acted quickly, grabbing her hands and taking her with him. The last thing he heard was her scream before they were submersed in chilly water.

Elena was laughing when Stefan's head popped up out of the water. He had to give her credit. She might have had a little more spunk to her than he first assumed. "Always better if you don't know its coming" Elena told him, her laughter subsiding as she floated in the water.

Stefan grinned. She was fun, and that's something he needed in his life. He laughed when Elena splashed him lightly. Then she swam off for the other end of the pool. He stayed where he was, taking a moment to realize how lucky he was to spend time with such a great girl.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next day, Stefan took Elena all around Charleston so she could get a better feel for the city she would be spending at least the next four years in. He took her to the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, which she absolutely loved. He wasn't sure he was going to get her to leave.

Then he took her to the Waterfront Park where she got to see sailboats going by and dip her feet in the Pineapple Fountain.

Finally, they finished up with the Charleston Museum and then lunch downtown.

They were all things he had seen and done a hundred times before, but he was excited to experience them with her because of her enthusiasm.

Oh, and he had in fact gotten a sunburn from the pool the day before, which Elena found quite amusing since he was so sure he didn't burn. She did offer him some Aloe Vera gel so she didn't have to watch him suffer though.

As they were walking back to the jeep, Elena turned and looked up at him. "Where does your brother live?" Elena asked.

Stefan smiled. "Damon lives in a log home he built himself" Stefan announced proudly. "He lives about half an hour from here if you want to go and see it. It really is pretty amazing" Stefan told her.

"Can we?" she asked, grabbing ahold of his arm and looking up at him with excitement in her eyes. She had stayed in a cabin once when she was younger and had loved it. But an actual log home sounded amazing.

Stefan laughed softly. "He'll be happy to show you. He's very proud of it" Stefan told her.

Elena smiled, slowly letting go of Stefan's arm that she realized she had been holding. "He should be proud. Building a home is pretty incredible" Elena said.

"Yeah, I think so too" Stefan said, sharing a smile with her. Damon had built the home five years ago. It was a long and daunting process, but the outcome was worth it. Stefan hoped to have a house of his own one day too.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Believe it or not" Damon said, walking Elena and Stefan out of the house and onto the massive wood deck that wrapped around the entire home. "This deck was the most challenging part of the house to build" he informed Elena.

Elena smiled. "Really?" she asked. She found that difficult to believe, but she would take his word for it. "Your home is so beautiful Damon" Elena told him. She was mesmerized by the size and intricate detailing.

"Thank you, Elena" Damon told her sincerely. "Stefan here helped me quite a bit" he informed her.

Elena looked back at Stefan and smiled. "You didn't mention that" she said, staring at him curiously.

Stefan stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled shyly, shrugging. "I didn't do much" he said modestly.

Damon scoffed. "He's good with a hammer and a nail" Damon informed her. Then he pointed at Stefan and smiled. "Gets that from me" he grinned.

Stefan laughed. "I mostly did the measuring and cost analysis" he said. "Crunched numbers and stuff."

Damon waved his modesty off. "He's too modest for his own good" Damon told Elena.

Elena smiled, and completely agreed. "You both did a wonderful job" she concluded, continuing to smile at Stefan. There was just something about the way Stefan looked at her that made her want to smile at him. "The one thing it is missing is a hot tub on the deck" Elena said. Such a beautiful, secluded place needed a hot tub to relax in during the evening.

Damon laughed. "Follow me" Damon said, taking her hand and leading her off toward the side of the house. Stefan followed behind. Elena looked back at Stefan and they shared another smile. Sure enough, there was a hot tub built into the deck around the side of the house. "And you and Stefan are welcome to come over and use it whenever you like" Damon added.

"I think we'll have to take you up on your offer, right Stefan?" Elena asked. He nodded.

"Well hey, Stefan and I usually have dinner together here on Sundays. Would you two like to stay?" Damon asked, looking at Elena and then to Stefan.

"I'd love to" Elena said, looking at Stefan as well.

Stefan nodded. "Sounds good to me" he replied, happy that Elena was so willing to spend time with Damon too. Though they hadn't known her long, she was fitting in quite well.

"Perfect. You two can finish looking around and I'll fire up the grill" Damon said.

"Thanks" Elena said, moving closer to Stefan. She would have offered to help Damon, but she wanted to see more of the property.

Damon left to go back inside and Stefan walked with Elena down the steps. "He owns about ten acres" Stefan said, pointing out across the yard. "Come on. I'll show you the creek that runs along the back of the property."

It didn't take long for Elena to be able to hear slow moving water. The creek was only a few inches deep and not very wide, but she assumed it would be deeper and faster come winter. Elena knelt down next to it and let the water run over her hands. "Where does it go?" Elena asked.

"I'm not sure. It runs through a few properties" he told her, walking across it in his flip flops. Then, he held his hand out, inviting her to cross it too.

Elena happily accepted his invitation. "I'm really happy you brought me here" Elena said, looking up at him as they walked slowly alongside the creek.

"I'm glad you wanted to come out here with me. Sometimes I get worried that Damon gets lonely out here by himself" Stefan told her.

Elena frowned. "He isn't seeing anyone?" she asked. He was quite the catch if she did say so herself. He was successful and from what she could tell, just as well-mannered, kind and generous as Stefan. Charming, too.

Stefan took his time answering, and Elena was starting to think that maybe she shouldn't have asked at all. "He used to be married" Stefan said quietly.

"What happened?" Elena asked before she could stop herself. She was genuinely curious.

Stefan gave her a sad smile before he continued. "They'd been together since high school. When Damon started up his construction business, she did a lot of the promoting and finding him business. She could chat anyone up" Stefan said, letting himself smile a little. "She had this energy that drew you in. They were the perfect team, professionally and romantically. They were together for almost 10 years" he admitted. He gave a long sigh before he continued. "But then she got really sick. A heart condition … I can't remember what they called it off the top of my head, but anyways, she just kept getting worse and worse. She kept complaining about being tired all the time and losing her breath too quickly. None of us thought much of it until Damon found her unconscious on the kitchen floor" Stefan explained.

"Oh my God" Elena said, looking at Stefan with worry.

"That's when the doctors found something wrong with her heart. They put a pacemaker in, and it worked for a few months. And then she got worse again, chest pains and feeling dizzy all the time. When she had a new one put in, she got a really bad infection" he explained. "She was in and out of the hospital after that and was having a hard time adjusting. She just wasn't the happy, spirited girl my brother knew and loved. And she didn't think it was fair for Damon to see her like that."

"It must have been hard on Damon, to see someone he loved go through that" Elena said.

Stefan nodded. "It was. But he was amazing. He took care of her, spent as much time with her as he could. If he couldn't be with her, he found someone who could. He really loved her" Stefan said. "She had another really bad scare with her heart a few months later and she told Damon he needed to leave her. She wanted him to find someone who wasn't so sick and exhausting" Stefan said sadly.

Elena looked at Stefan cautiously. "Did he leave her?" Elena asked.

Stefan shook his head no. "He married her" Stefan told her. "Right there in the hospital room" he added with a small smile. "He loved her so much, and he wasn't about ready to let her push him away" he explained.

"So what happened?" Elena asked. Why wasn't Damon still married to her?

"She eventually went on some new medication and had surgery" Stefan told her. Elena felt her own heart stop. Had Damon's wife died? "She got better. Way better, actually" Stefan said. "They eventually had a big wedding and invited everyone, because Damon knew how much she wanted an actual wedding. Things were really good for a little while after that." Stefan sighed. "And then Damon came home one evening and her bags were packed and sitting by the front door. She told him she was leaving. That she had realized marriage wasn't for her and she needed to be by herself for a while to figure her life out" Stefan explained. "Damon tried really hard to convince her to do a separation, but she insisted on a divorce. When she filed the papers, he was too heartbroken to fight her on it."

"So Damon signed them?" Elena asked, her eyes glued to Stefan's as she looked up at him.

Stefan nodded. "Offered her whatever she wanted, but she said she just wanted to be by herself. So, he let her go" Stefan sighed. "That was about five years ago now."

They both remained silent for a while, walking along the creek. "So was building the house kind of a distraction for him?" Elena asked finally.

"Yes" Stefan answered. "When he wasn't working, he was building the house. He didn't handle free time well at all. Said it just made him think about her."

"How did you feel about her?" Elena asked.

"She was a big part of my life for ten years" Stefan told her. "I loved her because she made my brother happy" he added. Then he smiled. "She taught me how to shoot a gun when I was 8."

Elena looked at him wide-eyed. "She did?" Elena asked.

Stefan nodded. "Yep. We went to an old abandoned farm and she set up class beer bottles on a fence railing. I missed every single one of them" Stefan laughed softly. "But she got them all. She was kind of a wild one. She liked to have fun, but she was entitled and always wanted things to go her way. Damon did everything he could to make her happy." It just wasn't enough.

Elena could tell that Stefan's sister-in-law's absence had been rough on him too. "I'm sorry that she left" Elena said quietly, slipping her hand around his as they walked.

"Me too" Stefan agreed. "I just hope she found whatever it is she was looking for."

"What is her name?" Elena asked.

"Katherine" Stefan told her. "Her name is Katherine."

**A/N: I have got to stop Googling log homes. They are just so pretty! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: You will get a little peak into Elena's life as you read this update. I think I also dropped some hints about Stefan, or at least, I raised some red flags for you to think about/discuss.**

**Thank you for all the reviews so far! You all seem to want to know what is going on with Stefan!**

Stefan and Damon found an open table on the patio for lunch. Damon had exactly half an hour to eat before he had to be back on the site he was supervising. If he could be away for lunch, he tried to meet up with Stefan, because being in his little brother's life was the single most important thing to Damon.

"It was really great having Elena over last night for dinner" Damon said, looking over his menu. He was starting to like Elena more and more after getting to know her better. "She's a respectable girl who I wouldn't mind seeing stick around" he added. Elena was just what Stefan needed. Although she was young, she was mature for her age, probably because of what she had gone through the past year. Most importantly though, she made Stefan happy. Damon could tell.

Stefan stared at his menu as well. "There's nothing going on between Elena and me" Stefan replied. That might have been a little bit of a stretch. He really liked Elena and had since the moment he laid eyes on her.

Damon laughed. "Come on, you're telling me you're not interested in dating her?" Damon asked. He could tell when his brother was not telling him the truth.

Yes, he was interested. "No" Stefan answered. "I mean, not right now" he corrected. That kept the idea open, but gave him some time to figure it out. Stefan liked numbers, so a lot of his decisions were based on calculations. He had only known her for a few weeks at most. Elena probably wasn't interested in a relationship so soon. "She moved in as my roommate, not my girlfriend." He wanted to make sure that was a stated fact, so that Elena knew where they stood too.

They were quiet for a few minutes. Then Damon grinned. "Do you think she likes you?" he asked. Because Damon thought Elena liked Stefan. He could see it in her eyes and by the way she smiled at him, or at something he said.

Stefan smiled, but continued to look over his menu. Damon always liked to pry when it came to Stefan's relationships. "I'm not pursuing a relationship with Elena right now" he stated. "I'm enjoying spending time with her, and I don't want to scare her off" he explained. He wanted to wait a little bit so she had time to get to know him, trust him, and feel completely comfortable with him. For them to become friends. Then, he could introduce the idea of them as more than friends. He was looking forward to that.

"Okay" Damon chuckled. He didn't think his brother's plan would last long. It was a natural instinct to want to feel close and connected to someone. "Where's Elena at anyway?" he asked.

Stefan folded his menu and set it aside. He was thankful for the slight subject change. "I dropped her off at campus. She had a few questions and wanted to meet with her advisor." She had assured him that she could get along without him for an hour or two, which had only made him laugh because he realized he was with her constantly, following her around and making sure she didn't need anything. He just felt this need to take care of her. "I'm thinking about letting her take my Jeep to campus, so she doesn't have to take the bus when it starts getting dark early" Stefan mentioned. He was seeking approval from Damon.

Damon simply nodded. "I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable with her riding the bus at night by herself either" he agreed. While Charleston was a beautiful city, it still held some of the dangers of any other city. "Does she have her license?" Damon asked.

Stefan shrugged. "I'm not sure" he answered. "Honestly, there's so much I don't know about her."

Damon smiled. "You know, she probably feels the same way about you" Damon said. Stefan smiled, knowing Damon was probably right. "Just ask her questions. I'm sure she'll give you the answers."

"You're so wise, you know that?" Stefan asked, giving him a playful grin.

Damon laughed. "Well I am ten years older" he reminded. He had lived longer, made more mistakes and learned from them.

"You are an old man" Stefan agreed.

Damon glared at his younger brother. "Careful now. I can still kick your ass" Damon reminded. He'd done it before and would do it again.

Stefan laughed. "I know" Stefan assured him. He knew Damon would wrestle him down to the ground right there on the patio at the restaurant if needed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena sat on her bed with her iPad in her lap, staring at Bonnie's weary face through Skype. "He's not a serial killer" Elena assured her best friend. Bonnie gave her a look of disbelief. "He's not!" Elena laughed. "He's a really nice guy. You'd really like him."

"That's the behavior of a stereotypical serial killer" Bonnie pointed out. "Charming … nice. That's how they lure you in."

Elena rolled her eyes. "You watch too many crime scene shows" Elena informed her.

"Maybe you should watch more of them" Bonnie countered. "I just don't want you cut up into a million little pieces is all" she told her. "Why on earth would you move in with a guy you barely know?" Bonnie questioned. "I don't care if he's the nicest, sweetest, most caring guy in the world. I don't understand why you would do that" Bonnie said, sighing.

Elena frowned. She had told Bonnie she had moved in with Stefan the evening she actually moved in, knowing full well Bonnie would lecture her. They had known each other since middle school and had formed a friendship effortlessly. But Bonnie was one year older than Elena, and was currently in London studying abroad for her degree in journalism. "I'll agree, my decision was made in haste" Elena told her. "But I needed a place to stay, and quite honestly, I wouldn't have been able to afford anything without a roommate anyways" she said. "Stefan offered me a place to stay, and his offer eliminated the hassle of finding another place to live."

"And why do you think Stefan was so quick to offer you a place to stay, knowing full well you couldn't afford to pay half his rent?" Bonnie questioned. It was the journalist in her to question everything. "Oh my God, is he pressuring you for sex? In exchange for a place to live?" Bonnie nearly shouted. She would have flown all the way back home just to kick his ass.

"No!" Elena said quickly. "He's not like that" she said defensively. Stefan had never once gave any indication that he was looking for sex from her.

"Have you guys kissed yet?" Bonnie asked, firing off her next question.

Elena knew she couldn't lie. Bonnie would be able to tell. "Once" Elena said shyly. Just thinking about it made her blush. "He kissed me goodnight the first time he took me to dinner." Bonnie gave her another pointed look and Elena let out an exasperated breath. "It was a completely innocent goodnight kiss."

"So you're not interested in this Stefan guy?" Bonnie asked, her tone softening significantly.

Elena smiled. "I'm interested in getting to know him" Elena told her. "I don't think he's really that interested in being anything more than friends anyway" Elena added. Stefan hadn't tried to kiss her since their first date. He seemed more interested in keeping things platonic. Though secretly, she hoped she was wrong.

"Maybe he doesn't want to make things awkward, with you living there now" Bonnie suggested.

Elena smiled a little more. "So does that mean you're convinced he's not a serial killer?" Elena asked.

Bonnie laughed. "No, I'm keeping the possibility on the table" she assured her friend, making Elena laugh too.

Elena heard a door open and close. "Hey, I should let you go. Stefan's home" Elena told her. She wanted to actually make dinner for them that evening, rather than go out like they had been. That was part of the deal, that she do the cooking since he couldn't cook.

"Okay. Just keep your guard up, for me?" Bonnie asked.

"I will" Elena promised her, even though she knew there was nothing to worry about. She just had a gut feeling. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." They said their goodbyes and then Elena logged off, setting her iPad aside and tried to shake off her conversation with Bonnie. If her friend could just meet Stefan, Elena knew Bonnie would love him.

She walked out of her room and found Stefan standing in the kitchen, checking his phone. "Hey" she said, rounding the corner and opening up the refrigerator.

"Hey" he said back, setting his phone aside.

"Do steak fajitas sound good?" Elena asked him, eyeing the steak strips, onion and peppers in the refrigerator.

"Those sound perfect, actually" Stefan told her. He watched as Elena gathered all the ingredients he had bought when he went grocery shopping. He probably had bought more food than the two of them needed, but at least she had plenty of options for cooking. "Can I help?" he asked.

Elena set everything on the counter and went in search for the seasoning. "You can cut the peppers and onion" she offered. Then she pulled out a knife and set it near the cutting board for him. Stefan looked at her like he wasn't quite sure what to do. So Elena smiled. "Here, I'll show you" she said, picking up the knife and a pepper. Stefan came to stand next to her and watched her demonstration. "Just small strips, like this" she showed him.

Stefan watched as Elena carefully cut each piece perfectly. She looked so at ease with cooking and he wondered where she had learned. Stefan took over the knife and Elena moved over. "Where did you learn to cook?" Stefan asked. He only half concentrated on cutting the pepper, wanting to make sure and hear Elena's answer.

She had left his side and was at the stove. "My dad" she answered thoughtfully. Stefan froze momentarily. He hadn't met to bring up the topic of her parents. He didn't really know how to talk about feelings relating to grief. "I don't mind talking about them" Elena said softly, picking up on his hesitation right away. "They were amazing parents" she added, coming to stand next to Stefan to help him chop up the vegetables.

"They must be, to have raised a wonderful girl like you" Stefan told her.

She looked up and met his eyes, saw how sincere he was, and then looked down with a small smile. He could honestly make her melt with only words. "So, what are your parents like?" Elena asked.

Stefan was quiet for a moment as he considered what to say. Did he tell her the truth? "They're your pretty typical parents I guess" Stefan answered. "They live in Florida, so Damon and I don't see them much unless we visit or they come up here."

"Do you wish you could see them more?" Elena asked.

Stefan smiled some. "Sure" he told her. "I get to see them a few times a year" he said.

"So what was it like growing up with Damon?" Elena asked. She grabbed the onion and went to work chopping that up too.

Stefan laughed some. "He was bossy, but he was pretty cool. He let me tag along most of the time" Stefan told her. "We did everything together, and since he was ten years older, he did a lot cooler stuff than I did" he added.

Elena was smiling. "I love seeing you two together" Elena admitted. "You're what I would picture two brothers should be like. You poke fun at each other, but I think you'd have each other's back no matter what."

Stefan could only nod. Damon had done a pretty amazing thing for Stefan, and it had changed Stefan's life tremendously. "We would" Stefan assured her. "So what about you? No siblings?" he asked. Stefan pushed some of the pepper slices away so he could chop more.

Talking about her brother had the potential of making her cry. "He lives with my aunt in Texas" Elena answered. "When our parents died, my aunt Jenna became his guardian. He's three" she added.

Stefan gave a low whistle. "That's quite an age difference" Stefan mentioned. Even greater than he and his brother.

Elena smiled. "My parents adopted me shortly after I was born. It took my mom and dad a long time to finally be able to have one of their own" she explained.

Stefan debated about whether or not to ask about Elena's living situation. But he was taking Damon's advice. If he wanted to learn more about Elena, he had to ask. "How come your brother lives with your aunt, and you lived by yourself?" he asked quietly.

Elena grabbed a handful of onions and peppers and turned around to toss them in the pan she had on the stove. "Her boyfriend said a 3-year old was fine, but he didn't want to raise a 17-year old too" Elena explained. It hurt to think that her aunt had taken her boyfriend's side on the matter. "I'm just glad Jeremy has a family. He's only three" Elena said, coming back to Stefan's side to grab more onion. She felt her eyes start to burn and as much as she wanted to attribute it to the onion, she knew it was because she was still hurt by her aunt's decision.

Stefan grabbed Elena's hands gently, effectively stopping her from turning around again. She dropped the handful of onion she had. "It was wrong of them to not take you too" Stefan told her. Elena wouldn't look at him, but he could still tell that she was trying really hard not to cry. "You didn't deserve to be alone. And, I know I'm not your family, but I hope that you don't feel as lonely anymore, living here with me."

Elena took a nice slow breath in and nodded her head. "I don't" she told him, mustering up a smile for him as she looked up at him. It was nice to have someone on her side. "I'm sorry" she told him, grabbing a paper towel and wiping at her eyes.

Stefan placed his hand on her lower back and rubbed there gently. "It's the onions" he told her, offering her a small smile to make her feel better.

Elena laughed softly, appreciating what he was doing. "Thanks Stefan" she told him.

"You're welcome" he told her.

When she had pulled herself together, she finished adding the other ingredients, hoping her cooking was something that Stefan would like.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They had decided on a late evening walk after dinner, since the weather was so nice. Thankfully, a cool breeze was blowing in from the ocean, keeping the air comfortable. Stefan was starting to regret suggesting a walk though, on account of him being so full from dinner. He couldn't think of any fajitas that tasted better than the ones Elena had made. If she could cook like that for all of their meals, he had something to look forward to.

"So, I was thinking about taking English 101, Bio 102, Math 203 and Psychology 101" Elena told Stefan. "Get some of my general requirements out of the way."

"I'd say that is a pretty good selection for your first semester" Stefan replied. "If you want my help registering online, let me know. I'm pretty much a pro at it now" he said, getting her to laugh. He remembered how frustrating and nerve-wracking it was to register for the first time as an incoming freshman.

"I might take you up on that offer when registration opens" Elena told him.

"I hope you do" Stefan said, looking over at her as they walked. She looked away from him, but he saw her smile.

They stopped at a bench along the way to sit down and rest for a bit. Elena looked up at the stars and thought that if she wasn't so interested in marine biology, she might go into astrology. She felt Stefan's eyes on her and when she turned to look at him, he quickly turned away and tried to pretend that he hadn't been staring. "You were staring" Elena said, a small smile threatening to form. Stefan tried to keep a straight face as he shook his head no. "Yes you were" she smiled finally.

Stefan sighed, then smiled. "You're really beautiful" he told her, staring out ahead. "I can't help it" he added. Her cheeks warmed and her heart fluttered some. She may have had a tiny crush on her new roommate. But he was hard not to crush on. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't say things like that" he told her. "I don't want to make things awkward with us being roommates" he told her. It surprised him to feel her hand rest on top of his. He turned and found her staring at him this time.

"Maybe we don't put rules and stipulations on ourselves" she said softly. "Maybe we just see how things play out."

It had surprised him, hearing her say that. But he was glad she had said it. He'd be fooling himself if he tried to say he wanted to keep their relationship platonic for roommate sake. If she was okay with seeing what happened between them, he was okay with it too. "I'd like that very much" he admitted to her.

"Good" Elena smiled. She leaned in some, waiting expectantly to see if he would meet her halfway and kiss her.

He did of course, and their second kiss told Stefan that he would do everything he could to keep her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I took entirely too long to update this story. I apologize. **

**Please let me know what you think about Stefan and Elena growing closer. What do you all think about Damon in this story?**

**Thank you for the reviews! Over 100 and I have only posted 5 chapters! High fives to you all!**

Elena watched out of Damon's kitchen window, seeing Damon and Stefan tossing a football around. It was supposed to be a friendly game of touch football, but a few minutes into the game, both were tackling each other to the ground. They argued a few times about certain plays, but always seemed to work it out.

Damon had invited them over and Elena had offered to cook, since Stefan had raved about her cooking all week. In truth, Elena had looked forward to their Sunday gatherings. It was nice to feel like part of a close family, and she appreciated Stefan and Damon including her. After just one month of living with Stefan, she finally felt like she belonged somewhere, and that she had made the right choice, coming down to Charleston.

Since Elena had mentioned to Stefan that she didn't want to put rules in place regarding their feelings for one another, Stefan had seemed to relax some. He still liked to check in with her and make sure things were good with her. She just assumed it was his caring nature.

They had shared a few innocent kisses, usually on the couch or on their early evening walks. But he never invited himself into her room, and he never asked her into his either. It was probably for the best, but she caught herself wondering why he didn't seem eager to sleep with her. She continued to tell herself it was because he was a gentleman, and not because he wasn't interested.

The boys coming inside through the backdoor interrupted her thoughts. They were laughing as they tried to decide who had won their one-on-one game. "My little brother cheats" Damon announced as he and Stefan walked into the kitchen.

Elena smiled as she turned to see both brothers with their shirts wrinkled and their hair a mess. Evidence that they had clearly not stuck to their agreement for touch football. "You're just getting slower in old age" Stefan told him. It made Elena laugh, even though she tried to hide it. Stefan made her laugh often.

"Yeah yeah" Damon said, rolling his eyes. "I'm going to go and change my shirt" he informed them, leaving the kitchen.

Stefan looked around and saw that Elena looked like she had everything covered. But, he was still going to ask her if she needed help. "You need any help with anything?" Stefan asked.

"If you could grab the cheesecake out of the refrigerator, that would be awesome" Elena told him, turning down the oven. She grabbed the pan out and proceeded to make up a plate for each of them.

Stefan set the cheesecake on the counter and then stood behind Elena, watching her. "This all looks great" he told her, placing his hands gently on her hips. His fingertips slipped just under her shirt. His hands warmed the skin they touched.

Elena smiled, feeling completely at ease with Stefan being that close to her. "Thanks" she replied, adding one last scoop of green beans to the last plate. "Can you help me take these outside?" she asked.

"Yes" he said, turning her slightly. Elena leaned against the counter and watched his eyes search hers. He hesitated for a moment, but found his confidence easy enough and leaned down, capturing her lips in a tender kiss. The rest of his body kept a respectful distance as he focused on enjoying the kiss and not turning it into something more.

Elena lost count of the time he spent kissing her, but she was enjoying every second of it. Damon's sudden presence interrupted the kiss and both she and Stefan looked embarrassed to be caught.

"Sorry" Damon said, shooting Stefan an apologetic look. The smirk on his face told Stefan that he really wasn't that sorry. He was more amused than anything. "Can I help carry anything outside?" he offered.

"These" Elena said as she handed him two of the plates which he took. Stefan took the last plate and Elena followed him out of the kitchen with their drinks. Beers for the boys and lemonade for herself.

"This looks so good" Damon said, sitting down across the table from Stefan and Elena.

"Baked parmesan chicken, green beans and biscuits" Elena said, taking her seat next to Stefan. "I hope it is as good as it looks." She hadn't made it for anyone but herself.

Stefan didn't even bother waiting for anyone else as he began eating. He couldn't get enough of Elena's cooking. She had made him cinnamon rolls for breakfast and he had reluctantly agreed to bring a few over for Damon to enjoy for breakfast the rest of the week. "Mmmm, this is amazing" Stefan told her before taking another mouthful from his fork.

Damon agreed, and Elena looked relieved to have both of their approval. "The green beans came from the farmer's market Stefan took me to earlier in the week" she told Damon. She was a huge fan of freshly grown fruits and vegetables, especially when it came to cooking. "One day I'd love to have my own garden so I can pick from it when I cook."

"We had tomatoes once" Damon mentioned. Then he looked across the table at Stefan with a not so friendly look. "Care to tell Elena what happened to them?" Damon asked his younger brother.

Elena looked at Stefan, and he smiled sheepishly. "I accidently ran them over with the lawn mower" he told her. He hadn't been very old.

"Oh no!" Elena said, stifling a laugh.

"You should have seen it!" Damon said ecstatically. "It looked like a murder seen around there with shredded red tomatoes everywhere" he explained. "Then he comes running inside, telling me he didn't know what happened. Meanwhile, he has tomato all over him."

Elena was really laughing now. "Do you have pictures?" Elena asked. She would have paid to see that.

"No, thank God" Stefan answered, taking another drink from his beer. "I did get grounded for lying, and then I had to pick up all the tomato guts and clean off the lawn mower" Stefan told her, wanting her to know that he didn't get off free and clear.

Elena sat back, her laughter subsiding. She loved moments like this, where she was with the two of them, immersed in their brotherly banter. Though, it did make her miss her little brother even more.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena finished drying the last dish and then went upstairs, wanting to get a better look in Damon's house. Stefan had gone to the hardware store to pick up a few things Damon needed for a jobsite the next morning.

And Damon had been on a call the last ten minutes or so. He had told Elena not to worry about the dishes, but Elena wanted to make herself useful, and she knew how busy and tired Damon was. She didn't mind doing things around the house.

Especially his house. As Elena climbed the stairs, she held onto the railing and admired the finely crafted wood she was holding. The staircase alone probably had cost more than the last house she had rented.

At the top of the stairs, she stopped and debated on whether to go left of right. She had seen a quick peek into each room on the tour she was given the first time she had seen the house. Other than that, she had pretty much stayed downstairs and out back on the deck with Stefan and Damon.

Damon had given her permission to explore the house while he made a phone call, so she was taking advantage of it. Elena decided to go right, listening to the wood creak as she walked. She loved the feeling of smooth, cool wood under her bare feet. If she could have a dream house, Damon's would have been it.

The first room she encountered was just a simple guest room that hadn't caught her interest much. She walked inside though and took a look around, noting that the window had a view of the street.

The second room appeared to be just for storage, housing a few workout machines folded up and extra furniture that probably did not have a place at the moment.

The last room down that hallway had the door shut. When she opened it, the door creaked loudly, like it hadn't been opened in some time. Unlike the other two smaller rooms, this room was expansive, with one large window overlooking the backyard. The sunlight poured in, highlighting all the dust on various surfaces. It appeared as though this room didn't get much attention.

Elena walked further into the room, turning in slow circles as she took it in. The walls were painted a soft pink color and the curtains that were pulled back were white. In the far corner sat a very old grand piano and bench. She walked to it and lightly ran her hands over the keys, listening to the sounds she had made. Elena didn't know how to play, but she had always wanted to learn.

The white vanity table and mirror caught her attention next. On top of the table were various bottles of lotions and perfumes that Elena had never heard of before. They looked expensive though. She was more interested in the silver framed picture sitting off to the side. Elena reached over and grabbed the picture to get a better look. It was of Damon, dressed in a suit, with his arms around a young woman dressed in a green dress. Aside from the young woman's striking beauty, Elena noted Damon's genuine smile as he held the beautiful brunette. She had dark brown eyes, much darker than Elena's, with long curly brown hair. She had the body of a super model, tall and slim and she had a look about her that radiated confidence.

"I haven't been in here for a while, as you can tell" Damon said, nearly scaring the life out of Elena. She jumped and almost dropped the photo.

She caught her breath and quickly put the photo down, turning to see Damon standing in the doorway. "You scared me" Elena said, resting her hand over her heart to feel just how hard it was beating.

Damon gave her a small sympathetic smile. "Sorry" he said, coming into the room to join her. Damon grabbed the same photo Elena had been looking at and studied it. "Seems like a long time ago" he said quietly.

Elena watched his eyes stare sadly and longingly at the photo in his hands. Her heart hurt for him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come in here" she told him. She hadn't meant to stay as long as she had.

Damon set the picture back down and turned to look at Elena. He gave her a small smile. "This room isn't sacred" Damon assured her. Damon was well aware that Stefan had told Elena about Katherine. "She's never even been in this house. I just couldn't seem to part with the things she left behind, so I put them in this room" he explained. Damon knew if Katherine were there, that room would have been her favorite. "It's weird, isn't it?" he asked.

Elena shook her head no. "I think it shows how much you love her" she told him. "You're the only one who can decide when it is the right time to move on completely" she added. That is what she kept telling herself in regards to coping with the death of her parents.

Damon smiled a little, thankful for her understanding. "It's been five years" he said thoughtfully. "I don't suppose she's coming back" he added.

Elena looked at him, surprised. "What would you do, if she came back?" Elena asked quietly.

Damon considered her question, and he answered her as honestly as he could. "I don't know" he told her. "I still love her, but sometimes love isn't enough."

His admission made her eyes sting. He was a man who appeared to have a lot of love to give, and he wasn't even sure if it was enough. Elena was a firm believer that love could heal anything, but even she was starting to question that kind of thinking after listening to Damon. "It should be" Elena told him.

"Life would be easier if it was enough" Damon agreed. His life would have been complete if love had been enough.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena tied her hair up into a messy bun, applied a little bit of makeup for a fresh look, and then left her room in her yoga pants and her favorite high school sweatshirt. She had a goal for the day, but she was going to accomplish it in comfort.

She spotted Stefan on the couch with a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper, dressed in board shorts and a t-shirt. She watched him look her over, appreciating how pretty she looked first thing in the morning. Sadly for him, in a few months when she started classes, he would see her in sweats with crazy hair and no makeup on account of her being too exhausted to put any effort into her appearance while at home.

"Good morning" Elena said cheerfully as she entered the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. She then joined Stefan on the couch, tucking her feet underneath her.

"Morning" Stefan said, just as cheerfully. He set the newspaper aside so his full attention could be on her. "What are your plans for this beautiful Tuesday?" he asked.

Elena took a sip of her coffee, thankful for the vanilla creamer Stefan had picked up for her. "Job searching" Elena answered. She needed something part time that would work around her class schedule. She reached over and grabbed his newspaper so she could browse the job ads.

"Hmmm" Stefan said. It wasn't the answer he was hoping for. "I was kind of hoping you would join me at the beach today" he told her.

Elena didn't look up from the paper she was reading. "Sounds fun, but I need to find a job so I can contribute to our living expenses" Elena mentioned. Stefan provided for her way more than he should have, including all of the rent, the utilities, groceries and their fairly frequent outings. "I don't want your brother thinking I'm taking advantage of you" she added. Elena would hate to think Damon thought that of her. Hell, she would hate to think that Stefan might feel that way too.

Stefan placed his hand on her knee, squeezing it reassuringly. "He doesn't think that" Stefan assured her. "Besides, I've been living on my own for years now. Damon knows I have my finances all in order."

Elena wanted to question his finances, since he didn't work that she knew of. "But you're not working right now either" she said, dropping the newspaper in her lap. How was he paying rent and everything else?

Stefan chuckled, seeing her worried look. "Remember how I was gone one evening last weekend?" he asked. Elena leaned in slightly, fixated on him and anticipating his answer. Stefan leaned in some to so he could whisper in her ear. "I'm a male dancer on the weekends" he whispered.

Elena's eyes grew wide as she leaned away from him. She honestly thought he was serious, until she saw him trying really hard to hold back a smile. "Oh my God!" Elena gasped, slapping his leg softly as she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. The fact that Stefan was laughing didn't help. "You're so not funny" she told him. He did have the body for it, she reminded herself. She just didn't know how she would feel, knowing he would have the attention of so many women like that.

"Okay, okay" Stefan said, realizing that she was concerned about how he earned his money. "I do all the accounts for Damon's construction company" he answered. "I've been working for him since high school." It was part-time work, but Damon paid well.

"You do?" Elena asked. That was quite the responsibility. "He really trusts you then" Elena said.

Stefan smiled. "I'm good with numbers and details" he said, shrugging. Once Damon had figured that out, he hadn't given up until Stefan had agreed to help him.

"When you start your full-time job in September, will you still help your brother?" Elena asked.

Stefan nodded. "I already know what Damon needs. I won't stress him out by having him rely on someone new to run his finances." Besides, it didn't take much of his time and he enjoyed helping Damon.

"You're an amazing brother, you know that?" she asked with a smile.

Stefan returned her smile. "He's the amazing one. Whenever I can find a way to help him, I do" Stefan said. He'd never be able to repay Damon for what he did. But he'd spend the rest of his life trying. "So, yes to the beach?" Stefan asked, his eyes hopeful as he drew their attention away from Damon and money.

Elena shook her head no. "I really need to start focusing on finding a job" she answered. "It makes me feel really bad knowing that you pay for everything" Elena told him. She had grown used to paying her own way the past year or so. It was uncomfortable letting Stefan help her as much as he was.

Stefan grabbed onto her knees and spun her so she was facing him on the couch. "I hear what you're saying about feeling the need to contribute" Stefan said. Elena simply nodded, glad that he understood. "But money doesn't mean anything to me. I mean, I know I have to have it to pay for things, but I don't like obsessing over it" he admitted to her. Stefan grabbed her hands to hold, wanting to make sure she knew exactly how he felt about their living arrangement. "I've been paying my rent and bills on my own, buying my own groceries and having plenty left over to have fun, and some to put away into savings" he assured her. He wasn't hurting for money by any means.

"But you shouldn't have to have the burden of paying for an extra person all the time" Elena informed him.

"You are not a burden" Stefan told her. "I'm so much happier with you here" he admitted, somewhat shyly. "And in a few months, I'll be making more money than I need. Is it such a bad thing to want to enjoy my time with you and not worry about money?" he asked.

Elena sighed. He understood her point, but he still didn't want to accept it. "Money is all that I've worried about this last year" Elena told him quietly. She hated having to admit it to him, but since her the death of her parents, she really had to learn the importance of budgeting in order to survive. There were no more impromptu trips to the mall after school whenever she felt like it, or ordering out because she was too tired to cook. Money had to be carefully spent. And sometimes, there was barely enough of it to pay the bills.

It broke his heart to realize that money had worried her so much. Stefan had always been a hard worker and a good saver, but even if he had needed a little extra help, Damon was more than willing to help him out. "I can ask Damon if he might have something for you to do for his business" Stefan suggested. "He would be really flexible with your hours too, for school."

"Really?" Elena asked. It sounded too good to be true, but she liked Damon and flexibility was key.

"Absolutely" Stefan told her. "Under one condition though." Elena raised her eyebrow, telling him to continue. "The money you would make is for you to spend on yourself. I want to be solely responsible for everything else."

Elena opened her mouth to argue, but then shut it. She just didn't understand why he would do all of this for her. "And there's nothing you want in return?" she asked skeptically. Bonnie's words were dancing in her mind. What did he want?

"Like what?" Stefan asked.

Elena looked down, thinking about the best way to ask him what Bonnie had assumed from the beginning. "Well, I feel like we've been getting closer lately …" she said nervously. "And maybe you're hoping we take it further …" she told him.

It clicked instantly. He knew what she was suggesting. "I don't want to sleep with you" Stefan said quickly. Elena's eyes looked up at him quickly and he thought that maybe he had offended her with his abrupt rejection. "I mean … I don't want you to feel like you have to sleep with me in order to stay here" he said, clarifying what he meant.

She felt relieved, both because he wasn't admitting to wanting sex from her for rent and because he wasn't rejecting the idea of sleeping with her. "But if I said I wanted to?" she asked cautiously. She wasn't entirely sure that she was ready. She hadn't known him that long, but, the attraction was there, and it was building each day.

Stefan thought about her question thoughtfully for a moment or two. "I'd say we should get to know each other a little more first, and then let things play out" he answered.

"So just to be clear, you haven't initiated us sleeping together, because you want us to get to know each other, and not because you don't find me attractive enough?" Elena asked.

Stefan broke out into a smile, wondering how on earth she could ever think he didn't find her attractive. "I can't take my eyes off you. It is a good thing that we're kind of seeing each other right now. Otherwise, I'd just be your creepy roommate who stared at you all the time and tried to kiss you" he told her.

Elena smiled too. "Kind of seeing each other?" she asked. They hadn't really defined their relationship yet, but she assumed they were an item.

"We are seeing each other" Stefan corrected.

Elena rubbed her thumbs over his hands holding hers. "This is just so sudden. Less than two months ago, I didn't even know where I would be going to school or where I'd be living" Elena admitted. "And now, I'm enrolled in college and living with a guy I'm dating" she said. "Everything just seems too good to be true." And it had happened so fast.

Stefan brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them. "You deserve all of this" he told her. He could give her stability. He was sure of it. "If you ever need anything, you can always ask me" he said to her.

He was so sincere, and it made her heart thump anxiously in her chest. Stefan owed her nothing, and yet he was giving her so much. "Thank you, Stefan" she said softly. She stared into his eyes for a moment, taking notice of how kind and gentle they were. Then she leaned in, and kissed him slowly.

Her hands held onto his shoulders, while his reached for her waist, pulling her closer. Her lips were soft, and she tasted of spearmint from brushing her teeth. He found himself wondering what it would be like to have her entire body near him, where all he would touch and feel would be her soft skin.

Maybe one day, she would let him find out.

**A/N: I'll write the beach in the next update. As you can tell, I am moving this story along. Two months have passed in this story and it is only the 6****th**** chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I am trying to be better about updating this story. **

**I would like to tell you all that this story is about to take off. The point of this story is not really focused on how Stefan and Elena met and fell in love. The reason I am writing this story is because of what happens at a later time, so there will be a time jump coming shortly.**

**Again, things are moving fast and there are reasons for this. That you will learn about later.**

**So, I hope you are still enjoying this story. I know a few of you are enjoying the light/fluffy/happy times that are being had. Be prepared, as changes are coming.**

"I just have to drop something off real quick" Stefan said, pulling into a gravel parking lot surrounded by construction equipment.

"Where is everyone?" Elena asked, jumping out of the jeep and looking around. None of the equipment was running, and there wasn't a soul in sight.

"Lunch break" Stefan said, smiling as he grabbed her hand and led her toward a construction trailer. "Everyone takes off except my brother" he informed, walking up the steps with Elena.

"He isn't working through his lunch break, is he?" she asked. Elena could see that happening, even though she hoped it wasn't. Damon was dedicated to his work, to his company that he had built.

Stefan laughed and opened the trailer door, where they both saw Damon with a stack of papers on his desk and a pen in his hand, writing frantically. Damon looked up to see his brother and Elena at his door, arms crossed and looking disapprovingly at him. "Hey" Damon said, smiling like he was doing nothing wrong.

"Working during your lunch break again I see" Stefan said, handing him the envelope he had been carrying.

Damon was guilty. "No, I was just finishing something" Damon told them.

"Yeah I bet" Stefan told him. He wouldn't give his brother too much shit for it. Not when he was about to ask him for a favor. "So, I told Elena I would check with you to see about a possible part-time job" he said.

Elena stood next to Stefan uncomfortably. She hadn't expected Stefan to bring that up with her right there. "We don't need to bother him with that right now" Elena said, brushing it off.

"It's okay" Stefan told her, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. Damon looked curiously between the two. "Elena is looking for a few hours a week. I told her you might have something for her and you could work around her class schedule" Stefan explained.

Damon nodded. "Yeah, of course" he said. He watched Elena relax, like maybe she had expected him to say no. "Can I think on it and get back to you?" he asked her.

Elena nodded her head yes. "There's no rush" she told him, smiling. "Thank you so much." This alleviated the issue of her having to try and find a job that would be flexible. She had to take a moment to appreciate how fortunate she had been lately. Life had been good to her.

Damon gave her a small nod and returned her smile. "You're welcome, Elena" he said. Damon saw how happy Stefan looked, and not just about the job offer for Elena. Stefan looked genuinely happy with Elena next to him. "So, you two look like you're headed to the beach" Damon said, taking notice of their appearance.

"Yes we are" Stefan confirmed.

Damon smiled and leaned back in his chair. "I bet you have a surfboard and cooler in the jeep too." The days Damon spent at the beach were getting fewer and fewer as his business continued to grow.

"He's going to teach me how to surf" Elena mentioned. She was pretty excited, because the ocean was her favorite place to be.

"You'll do great" Damon assured her. "I taught Stefan when he was younger." He remembered the exact moment Stefan got up on the board by himself. He had never been so proud of his little brother.

"Do you want to meet us there when you get off of work?" Elena asked, extending an invitation to Damon. Stefan thought it was very sweet of her to offer, even though he already knew his brother's answer.

"I'd love to, but I've just got so much to do" Damon told her regretfully. He saw the disappointed look on Elena's face and he felt horrible. Stefan was used to his busy schedule, but Elena wasn't yet. "We're still on for dinner on Sunday, right?" he asked her.

"Yeah, sounds good" Stefan told him. "We should get going though" he said, looking down at Elena. She looked up and met his eyes, smiling.

"Hey you two have fun" Damon said, standing to walk out with them. "Elena, we'll talk about a job this weekend" he promised.

"I can't wait" she said, shooting him a smile. She was relieved to think about making money.

"Later" Stefan said, walking with Elena back to his jeep. He was ready to spend his day with the beautiful girl holding his hand.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"A sea anemone" Stefan said, crouching down next to Elena to examine it with her. The tide was out and that meant they had a lot of opportunities to scope out creatures.

"The scientific name is Anemonia Sulcata" she informed him. Then she grabbed her forehead and laughed at herself. "You must think I'm the biggest nerd ever" she told him.

Stefan laughed as well. "I work with numbers, so I think we're even" he reminded her.

She still looked adorably embarrassed. "I just get really excited about this kind of stuff" she explained to him.

"It's good to be excited about things" Stefan told her. He loved that about her. She gave him a small smile that made his heart skip. He was falling hard for this girl, and he didn't care that they hadn't known each other very long. He believed that you could fall in love with someone at first sight, and he was starting to believe that had happened with Elena. "What's this one called?" Stefan asked, pointing to a sand dollar just below the water.

Elena paused for a moment, remembering the scientific name. "Clypeasteroida" she answered.

Stefan wrinkled his nose. "That sounds like some sort of disease" he said.

Elena laughed. "I agree. But aren't they cool looking?" she asked.

Stefan had never really taken the time to admire anything on the beach or in the water. He was usually more preoccupied with surfing or soaking up the sun. But spending the day with Elena at the beach was making him realize how much he was missing out on. "I think these are my favorite" Stefan told her, reaching beside him and grabbing a small empty conch shell. Then he handed it to Elena.

She held her hand out and watched Stefan place the light colored shell in the palm of her hand. "It's beautiful" Elena said, smiling. Her eyes met his and she got a little giddy when she saw him lean in to kiss her.

"Come on" he said, grabbing her hand. "There's something I want to show you."

Stefan led her back up to the jeep where they preceded to drive down the highway, never losing sight of the water. She didn't ask where they were going, but instead enjoyed having the top down and the wind blowing through her hair.

Stefan pulled off the highway about half an hour later and turned his jeep off. Then he jumped out and went around to Elena's side to help her. They stood on top of a lookout point, staring out at a vacant beach. "Best surfing you'll ever find" Stefan told her. "Not many know about this place, so we won't have to share" he added.

Elena grabbed the beach bag and Stefan grabbed the cooler and surfboard before heading down the narrow trail that led to the sand. "This is amazing" Elena told him, in complete awe. The privacy is what stunned her the most, since there had been people everywhere further down the beach.

Stefan set the board and cooler down near a makeshift fire pit. "You ready for this?" he asked her, eying the waves that were crashing up on the shore. The last girl he had taken surfing hadn't been too keen on the idea, deciding to stay back on the beach and watch.

"Definitely" Elena told him. She had a look of determination and she was ready.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After only one hour in the water, Elena was paddling out, choosing her own waves and popping up, riding the waves back to shore. All on her own. Stefan was shirtless, waist deep in the water, cheering her on while keeping a watchful eye on her, just in case.

Elena was loving it though. Even if she fell, she still got back up and tried again. He loved that about her. She wasn't a quitter. "Do you want to have lunch?" Stefan asked as Elena paddled towards him.

"Lunch sounds great" Elena said, smiling from ear to ear. She loved the ocean so much, and surfing was the perfect way to experience it. She climbed off of the board and pushed it to shore with her. "Can we do this again sometime?" she asked him. She was having an amazing time.

"Anytime you want" Stefan told her. The fact that he had found a girl who enjoyed surfing as much as he did was a blessing. Stefan drug the board up onto the beach so the tide wouldn't take it away. Then they both sat down near the cooler and Stefan opened it, pulling out all of the contents.

Elena helped herself to the grapes, taking in the view as she did. She was trying hard not to stare at Stefan's chest. But the sun shining off of the water droplets on his skin was making it difficult to look anywhere else. "I love spending time with someone who knows the area so well" she said casually. "I think I've had more fun and done more things these past two months with you than I have in years."

"It's nice having someone to spend time with" he said sincerely. "Damon works a lot" he stated.

"What about your friends?" she asked.

Stefan shrugged. "I can't say I have any really good friends. More like acquaintances" he explained. "There's Caroline, who you might have met on the tour, but she's all over the place so it's difficult to plan anything with her." Elena found that really unfortunate that Stefan didn't have any close friends. "My brother is my best friend" Stefan told her. Even if he was a busy guy, he was a busy guy that Stefan idolized.

Elena's heart melted. "You're going to make me cry" she told him, setting the grapes aside.

Stefan smiled as he tilted his head to the side. "Why's that?" he asked her.

"Because, you two are just so adorable" Elena told him. "It is so refreshing to meet siblings who love each other as much and you and Damon love each other" she admitted. "I can tell how much you look up to him. I bet you were adorable when you were little, following him around all the time" she said.

Stefan had to force the smile on his face to stay put. "Yeah" he said, thankful she didn't notice his smile was no longer genuine. "So what about your friends?" Stefan asked, changing the subject.

Elena grabbed a cookie out of the cooler. "Well, there's my best friend Bonnie" she said. "Matt, Tyler, Vicki, Bekah …" she lifted off.

"Tell me about Bonnie" Stefan said, taking interest in the best friend that Elena had never mentioned. Right away, Elena smiled.

"She graduated last year and is studying journalism in London presently" Elena replied. "I try and Skype with her every other day" she added.

"Does she know about me?" Stefan asked curiously. Because he didn't know about her.

Elena smiled warmly. "Of course she does. I tell her everything."

"And … what does she think about me? Us?" he asked. He had to know. It was part of his need for approval. He couldn't stand knowing that someone didn't approve of him.

Elena hesitated and it worried Stefan. "She's kind of a mother hen" Elena said. She saw the worried look on his face, so she grabbed his hand in hers to hold. "She's just worried about me. She doesn't know you, but once she does, I know she'll like you" Elena promised. Stefan relaxed some, but the fact that Elena's best friend didn't approve of them was going to bother him. "Really Stefan, I'm not worried about it" she said, giving him a reassuring smile. "I like you. That should count for something, right?" she asked.

He mustered up a smile, because hearing her say that instantly lifted his mood. "It counts for everything" he told her. She might never know how much it meant to him to hear that, but it did, and it comforted him. "I love that Bonnie looks out for you. I'm just going to have to reassure her that she has nothing to worry about when it comes to me. I'd never do anything to hurt you" he said, making a promise to Elena.

Her smile slowly faded as she processed what he had just told her. The look of sincerity in his eyes nearly took her breath from her. "I believe you" she said, almost in a whisper. She believed that he would never hurt her.

Stefan leaned towards her, looking at her lips, and then into her eyes. His lips met hers finally, sealing his promise with a tender kiss.

He meant it.

He would never hurt her. He would never mean to hurt her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They had decided to hit up a crab shack for dinner on the way home. As tired as he was, he was not looking forward to the night ending. "What's good here?" Elena asked, hopping up on a stool at a small round table Stefan had picked out. She was exhausted from their day at the beach, but she was going to be sorry to see it come to an end as well.

"Halibut and fries" Stefan told her, tossing his menu aside with a knowing smile.

Elena set her menu down too, sharing a smile with him. He knew everything about anything in Charleston, and that made her lucky to know him. "Sounds good then" Elena told him.

Stefan grabbed them two sweet teas and placed their orders up at the counter. "You should see this place on a Friday or Saturday night" Stefan commented as he came to sit back down. He moved his chair closer to Elena.

"Pretty busy?" Elena asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"The line is clear down the beach" he said, describing just how popular the place was. His arm draped around the back of her chair as he looked around the room.

"I'm going to miss being able to spend all this time with you" Elena told him. "You know, when I start classes and you start work" she quickly added. She was having so much fun with him.

"We'll find time" Stefan said. He met her eyes and saw that she was just as content to be there as he was. It was comforting, knowing the person you were with enjoyed being with you.

"I'm glad to hear it" she told him, giving him a genuine smile as she leaned into him. She gave him an innocent, quick kiss on his lips before retreating back to her own personal space, not wanting to get too involved in any PDA.

"Stefan" a surprised voice said, causing both Stefan and Elena to look behind them. A pretty blonde was in a short sundress and high heels that accentuated her long legs. Her attention went straight to Elena, and a smile formed as she tilted her head to the side just a little. "Fancy seeing you here" she told Stefan.

Stefan jumped up from his seat quickly, already going in for a hug. He hadn't seen Caroline since they had graduated. "Hey" he said, giving her one extra squeeze before letting her go. "Caroline, do you remember Elena?" he asked, grabbing Elena's hand and pulling her up from her seat to introduce them properly.

Caroline's smile grew. "You bet I do" she said, extending her hand to Elena. "I saw you on one of the campus tours. Stefan actually begged me to let him help out in your group the moment he saw you" she said. "Nice work" she said teasingly, punching his shoulder playfully. He had obviously charmed his way into Elena's life somehow if they were at the Crab Shack having dinner together.

Stefan blushed, but Elena thought that was the sweetest thing she had ever heard. It was also flattering to know that Stefan had taken interest in her right away. "I do remember you" Elena smiled, taking Caroline's hand politely. She remembered her bossing everyone around, but she seemed perfectly nice. "Nice to see you again."

Caroline flashed Elena a radiant smile. "You as well. I trust that Stefan is being a true gentleman this evening?" she asked. Stefan rolled eyes, but his friend gave him a warning look.

"He absolutely is" Elena assured her. "He's been great since I moved down here" she added. She watched Stefan give her a warm smile. "I need to use the lady's room. You two catch up and I'll be right back" she said, sliding by Stefan and heading towards the back of the restaurant.

Caroline watched Stefan watch Elena walk away. She didn't think even a burning fire could have taken his attention away from the beautiful, and quite young, brunette. "So how did you manage to reel her in?" Caroline asked.

"I put the effort into getting to know her" Stefan explained. "She's amazing, Care. She's smart, and she's kind and she loves trying new things. She's exactly what I need in my life" he admitted.

"That's great to hear, Stefan" Caroline said. But the way she said it wasn't encouraging. It was cautious.

"What?" Stefan asked. Caroline had been excited moments before. What had changed?

She sighed. This wasn't just Stefan having fun with a girl he just met. This was Stefan falling in love with a girl he just met. That was an issue for her. "I'm really happy for you Stefan, but it sounds like you're falling kind of hard for a girl you just met" she told him. "A young one, a Freshman" she reminded.

Stefan shrugged. "So?" he asked. "I don't think age is really an issue between us" Stefan added.

Caroline shrugged too. "Maybe age isn't, but you're both in very different stages of your lives right now. You're done with the college thing, getting ready for new responsibilities. She's just starting college where she finally gets to be free to be her own person and do whatever she wants."

"I don't plan on holding her back. I want her to experience college" he said, thinking carefully about his words. Did he want Elena at parties? No. But he wasn't even sure if she liked parties.

Caroline sighed again. "I know you wouldn't mean to. But college is going to take up a lot of her time. When she's not in classes, she'll be at her study groups. Clubs on campus, parties, volunteering" she reminded him. Then she frowned. "And how long before some of these college guys take interest in her? She's young and beautiful, and she has that older boyfriend who isn't around campus. I mean, I'm not saying she would cheat on you, but I can tell you right now, those guys are going to be hitting on her left and right."

"You're saying that she and I are impossible" Stefan stated neutrally. Mainly because he didn't want her to see him get upset. Every problem Caroline brought up felt like a kick in the stomach for him.

Caroline shook her head no. "I'm telling you it will be difficult. I just don't want you to get hurt" she concluded. Caroline saw Elena walking towards them and she quickly put a smile back on her face. "Elena, enjoy the rest of your evening with Stefan" she said. "He's a great guy" she added, looking up to see Stefan's mind wandering.

Stefan didn't tell Caroline goodbye. He wasn't mad at her, but he was concerned about everything she had brought up. What was going to stop guys on campus from trying to go out with Elena if they didn't know she had a boyfriend? Sure, she could tell them she was dating someone else. But would that be enough?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Are you okay?" Elena asked as they sat on the couch together, waiting for the movie to start on the T.V. She had noticed his mood change during dinner.

"I'm fine" he told her, doing his best to give her a reassuring smile. Truthfully though, he was fixated on the idea of losing Elena.

With the lights off, she couldn't really determine if he was telling her the truth or not. Then again, she hoped that if something was bothering him, he would talk with her about it. "I had a great time today" she said, yawning as she did. She was exhausted.

Stefan slipped his arm around her, and Elena leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Me too" he told her.

The movie played for ten minutes or so before Elena fell asleep. She was breathing softly against his t-shirt, with her hand lightly against his stomach. He then turned the T.V. off, wanting her to have the quiet she needed to sleep.

Stefan carefully brushed her hair out of her face, content with sitting there and holding her. It wasn't long though, until he fell asleep too.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan woke up first, laying uncomfortably in a half sitting up and half laying down position on his couch. Elena was still snuggled against him, breathing just as softly as when she had fallen asleep. He hadn't woken up to turn the air on in the apartment, so his shirt and skin were moist from sweat where Elena's body laid against his.

She stretched out against him, murmuring something as she did. Then her arms wrapped around him, holding him close to her. It was a wonderful feeling.

Stefan's phone buzzed once and he carefully reached for it. A text message from his brother, asking if he and Elena wanted to go down to Florida for the Fourth of July weekend to see their parents. It made Stefan smile to think about Elena going with.

Stefan shot Damon a quick text back, letting him know he would ask Elena about it and get back to him. Right then, he was content with cuddling with Elena until he too could go back to sleep.

**A/N: I gave you a few hints, or things to consider in this update. Trust that I am going somewhere with this story.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you for hanging on and waiting for me to update! I understand that some things in this story may not make sense, but there is a reason to my madness. **

**I appreciate reviews : ) **

Elena had her hand out the window as she, Stefan and Damon drove down the highway in the jeep with the top down, on their way to Florida. Elena hadn't been to Florida since she was little, and that was just Disney World.

But Stefan told her that their parents lived in a quiet town in northern Florida. Disneyland was hours away, and so was the beach.

Elena was still excited to be tagging along on the road trip. They had left early, stopped for breakfast and lunch, and now were hours away from their destination.

"You doing okay back there?" Damon asked, looking in the rearview mirror at her. After a lengthy wrestling match in the driveway, Damon had pinned Stefan down until Stefan had agreed to let his brother drive.

Elena smiled as she continued to look out the window. "I'm doing great" she replied.

"Hey, stop at the gas station up here" Stefan told Damon, pointing towards it.

Damon groaned and rolled his eyes. "You have to pee again?" Damon asked. It was getting ridiculous. "You pee more than Elena, and she's a girl" he informed his brother. Then he looked in the rearview mirror apologetically. "No offense Elena" he added.

Elena laughed. "None taken." She figured she might as well try and go to the bathroom too though.

Damon decided to get gas since he was making the stop anyway. Stefan and Elena followed the signs to the back of the building, and found the bathroom door open. The smell and the dirty floor did not make it look inviting. "This doesn't even look a little sanitary" Stefan said.

Elena made a disgusted face. "You go first" she told him, giving him a gentle shove forward.

Stefan laughed. "No way" he told her. The flies hovering in the doorway were the deal breaker for him. "You go first" Stefan said.

Elena crossed her arms in mock offense. "You would really send me in there by myself?" she asked him. A hazmat suit was probably the safest bet.

Stefan eyed the bathroom again. "No, I wouldn't" Stefan told her, smiling. "We should probably wait" he added.

"Yeah, I agree" she said, holding her handout for him to take.

Stefan squeezed her hand and walked with her back to the jeep. "Do you want anything?" he asked her. Elena shook her head no. She had water in the jeep, along with the snacks she had packed for them for the road trip.

"You guys good?" Damon asked, stuffing his credit card back in his wallet as he walked towards them.

Stefan and Elena both looked at each other and started to laugh. "Yes" Elena finally answered, allowing Stefan to open her door for her. She climbed in, and Stefan kissed her quickly before shutting the door again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena watched out the window as the jeep pulled into a driveway leading to a quaint light blue house. As soon as the engine shut off, the front door swung open and an older man and a woman walked out. They were both walking quickly for the jeep the moment Damon got out. "Damon" the man said, grabbing Damon and wrapping his arms around him, pulling him close in a hug.

"Hi Dad" Damon said, smiling as he hugged the man back.

"It is so good to see you son" the man said, clearly excited to see Damon.

The woman was nearly bouncing up and down, waiting her turn. "Damon" she finally said, wedging herself in-between her husband and her son. She hugged Damon even tighter than his father had. "I am so happy you're here" she told him, kissing his cheek repeatedly.

"Stefan" the man said as he maneuvered around the front of the jeep. He hugged Stefan as well. "Thank you for coming down" he said, letting Stefan go.

The woman was there in an instant, grabbing Stefan and hugging him too. "Hi sweetheart" she said, kissing his cheek.

Elena stood back, taking in the sight before her. Warm, loving parents. She could see how Stefan and Damon turned out to be such amazing, wonderful guys. Elena smiled the moment their mother had seen her. "Hi" Elena said nervously, seeing the woman's eyes light up.

"You must be Elena" the woman said. She grabbed Elena's hands, beaming with a smile. "Oh Stefan, she's beautiful!" she said, her voice kind and full of love. "It is so nice to meet you" she said, smiling.

Elena couldn't help but return her smile. "It's so nice to meet you too, Mrs. Salvatore" Elena said, minding her manners. "Thank you so much for inviting me." She would have been perfectly happy staying back home by herself, but she found it rewarding to learn more about Stefan by meeting his family.

"We couldn't wait to meet you" their mother gushed. "And please, call me Anne" she insisted. Elena nodded shyly. "And this handsome fella over hear is Giuseppe" she said, introducing them. "Darling, come here and meet Stefan's friend."

Elena stepped forward and extended her hand nervously. Though, she had nothing to be nervous about. Although Giuseppe was a bit more quiet and reserved than his wife, he was still warm and welcoming. "Nice to meet you, Elena" he said, giving her a small smile. "I trust the boys behaved themselves on the drive down?" he asked.

Elena couldn't help but laugh, because she could tell Giuseppe already knew what her answer would be. "As well behaved as could be expected" she answered.

Giuseppe let out a low chuckle as he wrapped his arms around both Stefan and Damon. "Let's get you all inside and have some tea. You must be tired from your drive" he said, turning with the boys to head in.

Anne wrapped her arm around Elena and pulled her along as well, chatting away until they made it inside.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena grabbed her bag out of the jeep a few hours later. Everyone had sat around sharing stories and talking about the latest happenings. Elena had decided that she really liked Stefan and Damon's parents. They were friendly and they obviously loved both their sons. Not to mention, they had warmed up to her instantly, never once casting judgment on her intentions for Stefan. Anne and Giuseppe had been curious about her, asking questions and seeming genuinely interested in her.

She had almost forgotten how incredible it was to sit around a table, talking with family. Especially family who got along and could laugh together.

"Hey, I got this" Stefan said, running up behind her and grabbing her bag for her.

"Thank you" Elena said, shutting the jeep door. "I really like your parents" she told him.

Stefan leaned his back against his jeep, staring back at the house. "They seem to like you too" Stefan told her, seeming somewhat detached from his answer.

Elena had thought she had picked up on nervousness from Stefan while they were all sitting around talking. It usually occurred when Giuseppe directly spoke to Stefan, or when Stefan was the focus of attention. Elena had simply squeezed Stefan's hand under the table and smiled up at him.

"Do you want to get out of here for a little while?" Stefan asked.

Elena looked at him curiously. "We just got here" she reminded. Why didn't he want to spend more time with his parents?

Stefan was ready to try and convince her when Anne stepped out on the porch and waved at them. "Dinner is ready!" she called out.

Elena looked at Stefan, waiting to see what he was going to do. Reluctantly, he readjusted Elena's bag on his shoulder and began walking towards the house. Elena watched him for a moment before she followed. Something was bothering Stefan, but she couldn't figure out what it was. Maybe he was just tired.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan had sat through dinner with everyone, and when everyone had finished, he had excused himself before dessert was served. Now, he was sitting by himself on the porch swing, watching the sun set. The sunsets were the only thing he really missed about Florida.

The screen door squeaked open and Damon walked out, coming to join his brother. Damon handed Stefan a plate with a piece of apple pie. Stefan took the plate, but set it aside. Damon sighed, leaning back in the swing. "Mom and Dad can't get enough of her" he said. Both heard Elena laugh at something inside the house.

"She's hard not to love" Stefan said, seeming disinterested in the conversation regarding their parents.

Damon sighed again. "Look, I know you didn't want to come down here, but I'm glad you did. So are they" he told Stefan.

Stefan sighed as well. He hated that Damon knew he wasn't happy there. Stefan had sensed that Elena had picked up on it earlier too. "I don't hate it here" Stefan said defensively. "I just …" he said, pausing to think of what he needed to say.

"I know" Damon assured him, nodding his head. He knew.

Stefan scratched the back of his head, thinking about something he needed to talk with Damon about. "I need to tell you something" Stefan said, looking over at his brother. He was nervous as hell, but he had to tell Damon. He needed someone else to know what was on his mind. What he couldn't stop thinking about.

"What's up?" Damon asked, taking interest right away.

Stefan drummed his fingers on his knee. He took a deep breath, and then went for it. "I'm going to ask Elena to marry me" he stated.

"You mean, down the road, you plan on asking her" Damon corrected. He could see Stefan and Elena building a future together. They got along great.

"No. Soon. Now" Stefan replied. He didn't have time to wait, like Damon was suggesting.

Damon ran his hand over his face, trying to wipe off the exhaustion that had been there all day. "I need you to stop, and think about what you're saying right now" Damon told him.

Stefan took offense right away. "See, I knew you'd be like this" Stefan said, standing up.

Damon grabbed his arm and yanked his brother back down. "I'm trying to talk some sense into you!" Damon whispered harshly. "You barely know her. Do you want to scare her off by asking for this kind of a commitment so soon?" Damon asked. "Jesus Stefan. What's the rush?"

Stefan yanked his arm out of Damon's grasp, but didn't try and leave again. "She's the one" Stefan stated. "You were wrong about me asking Elena to move in with me so soon" Stefan pointed out. Everything was perfect as far as Stefan was concerned. He loved living with Elena, and she seemed to love living with him too.

Damon shook his head. "Not the same thing" Damon stated. "You can't propose to her so soon, Stefan."

Stefan crossed his arms and stared ahead, upset with his brother for not supporting him. Again. "I think I know what I'm doing" he argued. "I wouldn't do this if I didn't think she'd say yes." Stefan was sure Elena would accept his proposal. They were great together.

Damon nodded his head. "Yeah, she might. But how do you know she would be saying yes because she wanted to marry you, and not because she was afraid she'd lose her place to live if she said no?" Damon questioned.

"That wouldn't happen" Stefan said quickly. "She knows I care about her. She's going to say yes" Stefan assured his brother.

Damon rubbed at his forehead, feeling a migraine coming on. He loved his brother dearly, but sometimes Stefan didn't think things through all the way. "Listen, I think it is great that you can picture a future with Elena. And when the time is right, a few years from now, I know everything is going to work out for you. You deserve that kind of happiness" he told his brother. "But I'm begging you, please, please hold off. You're starting your new job soon and she'll start school soon. You will have plenty of time to propose to her when the time is right."

Stefan didn't agree. Elena was going to start school and meet new guys who wouldn't give a shit about some boyfriend Elena was living with. Boyfriends were easy to get rid of. But husbands were more permanent. "I just …" Stefan said, sighing and running his hand over his face. He was way too worked up and obsessed about this.

"You what?" Damon asked, patting his brother's shoulder to comfort him.

"I'm just afraid I'm going to lose her" Stefan said, turning to look at his brother. His face was so serious that it broke Damon's heart. "And I know I haven't known her that long, but I just know Damon. I know she's the one I'm supposed to be with for the rest of my life."

Damon nodded his head slowly. "I understand that you're afraid" Damon said quietly. "But marriage doesn't guarantee you a forever" he informed him. "I don't have Katherine anymore" Damon reminded. Damon had married her, only for Katherine to decide she wasn't happy and then, she left. "I know you have a difficult time trusting others Stefan. But you're going to have to learn to trust Elena."

Stefan shook his head no. "I know what I'm doing" Stefan said, standing again. "I love Elena, Damon" Stefan stated confidently, just as Elena was walking out of the house.

Elena stopped abruptly, and Stefan held his breath. He was too scared to turn around, because this was not how he wanted her to find out. "You love me?" Elena asked. She didn't think she heard him right.

Awkward silence passed over them until Stefan couldn't stand it any longer. "Elena" Stefan breathed out, turning around to look at her.

Damon stood quickly. "I should … I'm going to give you some privacy" he said, walking back into the house.

Elena waited until the front door closed before she came and sat down on the swing. She took a big breath and let it out slowly. "You love me" she restated, staring down at her hands.

Stefan ran his hand through his hair and then came to sit next to Elena. "More and more each day" he said. "I didn't want you to find out that way" he assured her. Elena nodded, still processing it all. "Please don't be freaked out" he said, almost in a panic. He would never forgive himself if he scared her off.

Elena shook her head no again. "I'm not" she said, letting a small smile form. She turned to look at him and saw how worried he was. "Maybe I should be, but I'm not." After only a few months, she was okay with Stefan falling in love with her. She was feeling the same way. "I'm falling in love with you, too" she told him. Stefan's eyes slowly lit up and then a smile formed. "Are we crazy?" Elena asked, smiling even more.

Stefan shook his head no. "I don't think so" he told her. Stefan reached for her hand and held it in his.

She smiled, feeling a really great feeling in her chest, knowing she had someone who not only looked out for her, but who loved her as well. "These last few months, I haven't felt so alone" she admitted quietly. "Thank you."

Stefan leaned over and kissed her temple, letting his lips linger on her skin for a few moments. "You'll never have to be alone again" he promised.

He was going to make sure of it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They were getting ready to leave Florida and make the drive back to South Carolina. Elena was sad to go, but she was looking forward to spending more alone time with Stefan. They really didn't get much time to themselves at his parent's house.

After saying her goodbyes, Elena went out to the jeep to allow Damon and Stefan to say goodbye to their parents. As she was loading her bag, she heard someone walking up behind her.

"Hey" Damon said, throwing his bag in the jeep as well. "Have a good time?" he asked.

Elena nodded. "Yes" she smiled. "Thanks for letting me tag along."

"You bet. Anytime" Damon told her. He looked behind him to see Stefan still saying his goodbyes to their parents. Elena got in the jeep and Damon moved closer so she could hear him. "Hey Elena" he said. His tone was serious. "There's something I need to tell you about Stefan" he said.

Elena furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "Okay …" she said cautiously. What did she need to know about Stefan that Damon felt the need to tell?

Damon was about to answer when they heard Stefan walking towards them. "Ready to head home?" Stefan asked, smiling as he joined his brother and Elena.

Elena looked at Damon, but his eyes told her to forget he ever said anything. "Yeah, ready" Elena told Stefan, forcing a smile for him. Stefan shut her door for her.

Elena wondered what Damon had to tell her regarding Stefan.

Whatever it was, she knew it wouldn't matter.

**A/N: Why are BOTH Stefan and Elena so quick to say they love each other? Hmmm.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I try so hard to update at least once a week. Thank you for continuing to look forward to the updates. I hear TVD has not been too good to us SE fans at the start of Season 6. There is always fanfics to turn to!**

Stefan's bedroom door was open and his lamp was on when Elena walked by, so she decided to drop off his laundry for him. They made it back home from Florida around late afternoon, so she had made dinner and then caught up on laundry. Elena was exhausted, and apparently, so was Stefan.

Elena smiled when she came into his room and saw him spread out on his bed with his arm over his face. Stefan lifted his arm slightly to look at Elena. "I'm just dropping off your laundry" she told him, taking the basket holding his clothes and setting it on a chair near his dresser. She came back around towards his bed and let herself fall on top of it, lying next to him. Elena let out a long sigh. "I am so tired" she announced.

Stefan nodded in agreement. He forgot how long of a drive it was to Florida and back in just a few days' time. "You didn't have to do my laundry" he said, using some of his energy to turn his head and look at her. Even though the chores around the house were supposed to be Elena's responsibility per their agreement, he helped out. He just didn't cook.

She smiled softly. "I had to do mine anyways" she told him. She yawned and closed her eyes. "I should head to bed." Elena made no move to get up, but she knew she needed too. She shouldn't have lain down, because now she didn't want to get back up.

Stefan turned his head towards her, watching her fighting sleep. "You could sleep here tonight" he said quietly. Stefan didn't know what her reaction would be, so he waited patiently.

Elena's eyes opened slowly. She turned her head to look at him, showing her surprise in her eyes. "You want me to sleep in here?" she asked.

"Just sleeping" Stefan clarified. "And only if you want to." He wouldn't hold it against her if she didn't want to. He just thought it would be nice to be able to hold her for a night. He thought about it often, and wondered if having her in his arms might remedy his difficulty falling asleep.

Elena sat up and he assumed that meant she was leaving. Though, she sat there and looked down at him. "Okay" she said after a few moments. "Give me a couple of minutes" she added, allowing a small smile to form.

Stefan watched Elena get up off of his bed and disappear out of his room. While he would have normally shed his t-shirt for sleeping, he decided to leave it on to make Elena feel more comfortable.

He heard her footsteps coming back down the hall. So quiet, yet he could always hear her when she got up during the middle of the night. Sometimes he thought she stopped at his door to see if he was awake too. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.

Elena walked back into his room, hugging her pillow to her chest. She stopped when she saw him staring at her. "I umm, I can't sleep without my own pillow" she told him. She would toss and turn all night without it.

It was the cutest thing he had ever seen, watching her hold her pillow, dressed in purple and gray flannel pajamas with her messy ponytail high on her head. "Your pillow is welcome too" he said, smiling at her. Stefan pulled the covers back on her side of the bed and Elena got in. She fluffed her pillow while Stefan shut the lamp off. "Comfortable?" he asked her quietly.

With her back to him, she smiled. "Not quite" she told him, reaching behind her to find his hands. Then she brought them around to the front of her.

Stefan caught on quickly to what she wanted and he wasted no time wrapping his arms around her securely and pulling her close. "Better?" he whispered in her ear.

Elena sighed contently. His bed was ridiculously soft, and his body against hers kept her feeling warm and secure. "Much" Elena said, right before she yawned.

Stefan placed a gentle kiss against her ear. "Goodnight" he said softly.

"Night" Elena said, yawning again.

Stefan stayed awake for a little while longer, listening to the steady sound of her breathing. It was the most soothing sound he had ever heard, and he knew that from then on, he would need to hear it in order to fall asleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan woke up first, feeling cold. His eyes focused and he found Elena on the far side of the bed, with all of the covers on her. He couldn't help but smile. She was a blanket stealer.

One glance at the clock told him it was late in the morning and that he should probably get up. He was trying not to sleep in too much so as to get some sort of schedule going for when he began working full-time.

Stefan sat up some and then leaned over her, placing a kiss on her lips. "Good morning" he whispered, smiling when he saw her start to stir. She murmured her protest, having no interest in getting up.

"How early is it?" Elena asked with a tired voice. She pulled the blankets closer to her.

Stefan laughed softly. "Almost eleven" he said, breaking the bad news that it wasn't really that early. Elena kept her eyes closed. "By the way, you're a blanket thief" he added, tugging on the comforter she still had.

Elena smiled, gripping the comforter even tighter so he couldn't take it from her. "I like your blankets" she said, peeking one eye open to look at him. He looked incredible with his messy hair. So incredible that she was looking forward to waking up with him every morning.

He let her keep the blankets, but he did move closer to her. "I have to get up" he said, resting his head on her pillow so they were face to face.

Elena frowned. "You don't HAVE to" she corrected, opening up the blankets so he could join her.

Stefan moved even closer to her and placed the blankets so they were covering them both. He smiled, because she was right. He didn't have to get up, but he was choosing to. He had some things to get done that day. "I would love nothing more than to stay in bed with you all day" he told her, resting his hand on the curve of her hip. Stefan felt her legs brush up against his before she tangled them with his own.

Elena leaned in and brushed her lips lightly against his. "I guess I should get up too then" she sighed, allowing her fingers to trace the length of his arm, getting a feel for those biceps of his.

Stefan brushed his fingers lightly against her cheek and smiled, admiring her natural beauty. "You're so beautiful" he whispered, looking into her eyes. He saw nothing but kindness and loyalty in them. Love, even.

Elena considered it an honor to be told such a thing by the man lying next to her in bed when she had just woken up. "I love hearing you say things like that" she told him. It was honest reassurance that made her feel wanted.

Stefan sat silently for a moment, looking into her eyes. It was inspiring to think she had suffered a great loss, and yet she was coping so well with it. He loved how strong she was. "I love you" he said quietly. He needed her to know that what he felt for her was real.

Elena reached her hand up and placed it over his hand that was touching her cheek. She squeezed his hand in hers and smiled softly. "I love you too" she said. She loved having someone she could count on.

She didn't have her family anymore, but she had Stefan.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stefan ran the towel over his head one more time before he tossed the towel in the hamper on the way out of his room. While he had showered, Elena had stayed in bed.

Surprisingly, Stefan found Elena at the kitchen counter, coffee mug securely in her hands and one of her textbooks open. She was reading intently and didn't even hear him come up behind her. "Which one is this?" Stefan asked, picking up the front cover to see it.

Elena smiled. "Marine Biology" she answered. It was by far her favorite book for the upcoming semester. Then she looked up at him. "Thank you for getting these for me" she said, gesturing to the stack next to her. She hadn't been too excited to crack open a math or psychology book. "I'm going to pay you back" she promised. Her books had been so expensive and she was stressing over how she would pay for them all.

Stefan leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "And I told you not to worry about it" he reminded as he went to get a travel mug full of coffee.

"I know, I know" Elena said, rolling her eyes at his lack of concern over her paying him back the $800.00 it cost to buy her books. She still planned to pay him back as soon as she started working for Damon. "Do you want to go to the beach today?" she asked. Elena wanted to enjoy the day outside because it was so beautiful out.

Stefan hesitated. "I … can't. I'm helping Damon with something today" he told her. Stefan dropped his jeep keys next to her open textbook on the counter. "You go" he said, taking out his wallet and placing a $50 bill next to the keys. The moment she was about to argue, he interrupted her. "I'll take the bus. Have fun" he told her, placing a flirtatious kiss on her lips. Then he grabbed his travel mug and left.

Elena watched him leave, wondering why he hadn't invited her to go with.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

She smiled when Bonnie's face popped up on the screen of her iPad. "Hi" Elena said, leaning back in her chair on the patio of some little café she had stopped at for a late lunch.

Bonnie was smiling too. "Hey you" she greeted. "What are you up to?" Bonnie asked.

"Oh, you know … just hanging out at the beach" Elena answered.

Bonnie glared at her. "I hate you!" she said, laughing. "It's 11:00 PM here and I'm sifting through stacks of newspapers from a million years ago so I can write a 30 page paper for one of my classes" she added.

Elena laughed too. "I can't wait to write papers for my classes" she told her friend. Elena was excited to start college.

"You say that now" Bonnie mumbled. Elena laughed at her again. "So where's Stefan?" Bonnie asked.

"He's with his brother, helping him out with something" Elena answered. What, she didn't know. But it was good for the brothers to spend time together without her always tagging along. "They're probably doing guy stuff, like watching football or something."

Bonnie crinkled her nose at the thought. "Does football even happen on Mondays?" she asked. Elena shrugged, because she didn't know. All she knew was, whenever she went over to Damon's house with Stefan and a game was on, they tried their best to explain to her what was happening, and she just couldn't get into it. "Yeah me either" Bonnie told her, giving her a small smile. "But everything is going okay?" she asked.

Elena nodded. "Everything is amazing, Bonnie. It is ridiculous how well Stefan and I get along. I actually just got back from Florida yesterday. We went to see their parents."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "He took you to meet the parents, huh?" she asked. That was fast. "What were they like?" Bonnie asked.

"Wonderful. Two of the nicest people I have ever met. It's no wonder that both Stefan and Damon are just as wonderful" she explained. She couldn't help but smile.

"So are you two dating now or what?" Bonnie questioned.

Elena couldn't lie. Bonnie would see right through her. "Yeah, I guess we are" Elena told her. "I mean, we have feelings for each other and like I said, we get along great. Being with him just feels … right." She couldn't really explain it any more than that.

"Things between you guys seem to have been moving awfully fast" Bonnie pointed out with a long, drawn out sigh. She had never seen Elena so quick to jump into things, especially relationships.

Elena frowned. Bonnie didn't approve of her and Stefan. "You don't think I should be with him?" Elena asked. She wanted her friend's support. Needed it even. "Yeah, I moved in quickly because I needed a place to stay. And yeah, we spend a lot of time together. But it's not like we're getting married anytime soon" Elena argued.

"Whoa, okay" Bonnie said, putting her hands up in defense. She could tell that her comment had upset Elena, and that hadn't been her intention. "You have no one over there looking out for you. I'm just worried, you know?" she said, her voice softening. Bonnie watched Elena visibly relax some.

"I just wish you could meet him in person and see what a great guy he is" Elena said sadly. "I really, really like him Bonnie. And I want you to like him too."

Bonnie could tell how much Elena wanted her to accept Stefan. "I want me to like him too" Bonnie said, smiling gently. "You deserve to be happy after this past year" she added. "And if this Stefan guy makes you happy, well then, I suppose I should at least try to like him." She was still going to be cautious though.

"Trying is a start" Elena said, smiling as well. "Listen, I better let you go so you can finish that paper and go to bed."

"Okay. Goodnight" Bonnie told her, blowing her a friendly kiss before she signed off.

Elena put her iPad away and sighed. She hoped her friend would come around, especially if Stefan was planning on sticking around. Elena took out her phone and dialed his number. After five rings, it went straight to voicemail.

She figured he wasn't by his phone, so she tried Damon next. "Hey Elena" he answered after the second ring.

Elena smiled. "Hi Damon. Is Stefan still with you? I wanted to ask him what time he would be home."

There was a short pause before he answered. "I haven't seen Stefan today" he told her. "I'm actually heading out to a job site right now to set up for the week" he explained. "Could I call you back later when I get done?" he asked.

Elena felt herself start to worry. "Oh, I must have heard him wrong" she told Damon. "You don't need to call me back. I'll see you later this week I'm sure" she said, trying to sound as upbeat as she had when she had first answered the phone. But it was hard, because she now felt like Stefan had lied to her and she didn't know why.

"Okay yeah, I look forward to seeing you" he told her. "Have a good night Elena" he said.

"You too" Elena replied before hanging up. She gripped her phone in her hand tightly, staring at the home screen. If he had wanted some time to himself, he should have just told her, rather than lie to her about going to see his brother.

Her eyes started to sting as she held her tears at bay. She felt stupid, having just gone on and on to Bonnie about what a great guy Stefan was.

Now, she wasn't sure what to think.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena had stayed out another three hours or so before making herself go back to Stefan's. She was still upset about Stefan, but she couldn't stand to be out and about by herself anymore, thinking about why he had lied. All she could think about was where he was.

On top of it all, a storm had set in. She really didn't like driving in the rain, especially when it was coming down so hard that you could barely see out the window.

Purple and blue flashes lit up the sky as she parked the jeep and got out, running for the main entrance of the apartment complex, dodging puddles of water along her way. Her hair and clothes were wet from the relentless rain as she got on the elevator to go up to the apartment she shared with Stefan.

Now she was upset with Stefan and wet, cold and just plain miserable from the downpour she had just encountered. The best thing for her was going to be a hot shower, a cup of tea and an early bedtime.

The elevator door opened on her floor and she walked down the hallway, digging her key out of her pocket. Even if he was home, they never left the door unlocked.

Elena pushed the door open to find a dark apartment, lit up only by candles sitting on tables and shelves. She stood in the doorway for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. The power hadn't gone out because the rest of the building had lights.

Slowly, Elena shut the door and dropped her purse off to the side. She took a few steps into the apartment, looking around. What the hell was going on?

Stefan appeared from around the corner, stopping across the room from her. From the sporadic lighting, she could see that he was wearing blue jeans and a thermal long sleeve cream colored Henley with the top buttons undone. His hands were in his pockets and although he was silent, his body language told her that he was nervous.

Deciding to not give into her curiosity, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. He looked amazing, but that was beside the point. "How did it go with Damon?" she asked, her voice testing him. She fully expected him to lie right to her face. She was counting on it, actually.

"I didn't go see Damon" Stefan answered, cool and calm. He knew there would be a good chance she would call Damon since Stefan wasn't picking up his phone.

Elena was surprised by his blatant honesty. "You told me you were going to see your brother" Elena reminded, her voice still on edge, very much aware of the candle flames dancing in the shadows.

Stefan kept his hands in his pockets as he walked slowly towards her. He stopped a little ways away. "I needed you to think that. So that I could have the morning and afternoon to myself" he explained.

Elena felt frustrated. "Stefan, you don't have to make up lies to get away from me. Just tell me you need some space. I get it" she told him.

Slowly, Stefan closed the space between them and removed his hands from his pockets to grab hers. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "I don't want to be away from you. Ever" he told her softly. "But I had to be alone, in order to plan this" he explained.

Elena eyed the candles again before slowly looking back into his eyes. "And what exactly is this?" she asked, suddenly feeling nervous and a tad guilty for doubting him.

Stefan took his time answering her question, wanting to sort his words out so he didn't sound like a fool. "My life three months ago was okay. Just okay" he began. "It wasn't amazing, it wasn't exciting. But then, I met you" he told her, his eyes piercing hers with their sincerity. "The moment I saw you, I knew you were going to change my life forever. And here you are. You've made me so happy the last few months. I want to make you happy too" he told her. He wanted to make her a part of his family, permanently and officially so that she felt like she belonged. He wanted to take all her worries away about money, so that she never again would know what it felt like to go without, or to feel like she always owed him.

"Stefan" Elena whispered, her voice failing her as she listened to him. She was mesmerized by his words.

"I know there are all these rules and beliefs about love. You should know someone for this amount of time or you should wait for this or that" he told her, continuing. "But I don't want to wait Elena" he told her, releasing one of her hands as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black box and kneeling on one knee. Elena's now free hand went to cover her mouth as she gasped softly. He popped the box open, revealing to her a beautiful diamond engagement ring. "Elena, will you marry me?" he asked.

**A/N: First, I realize this is moving very fast. Who proposes that quickly? Stefan has his reasons for doing so. Are they rational? Maybe not to us, but they are to him.**

**Second, the next update will jump some time. I won't tell you whether she accepted or not until you read the next update. **

**Third, I want to remind you all that the reason I began writing this story was not to write a detailed and beautiful story of how Stefan and Elena fell in love. The real reason I wanted to write this story is because of what happens next (which you will begin to see in the next update that jumps time). **

**Last, I hope I didn't give too much hype about what is going on with Stefan. I do not want you to be disappointed, but I do want you to know that this storyline means a great deal to me, both personally and professionally.**

**Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This update is rated M. **

**Thank you for your continued support!**

_It was freezing the day she married Stefan. Although the sun was shining as they stood facing each other on the beach, the air was chilly with signs that Fall was already on its way. _

_Sunday, August 31__st__ at 9:30 PM, just as the sun was sinking. The ocean breeze caught her white dress, swirling it around as she stood there with him, holding both of his hands and listening to the officiant talk about love and the future._

_Elena barely heard a word the stranger was saying. She was too busy silently mouthing words to Stefan, and reading his lips when he said something back. The night he had proposed to her had left her with a whirlwind of emotions. But she didn't hesitate to say yes. Elena knew Stefan was one of the good guys that only came around every so often. He made her smile, and he made her believe that a future with him would be the fairytale she always dreamed she could have._

_So a little over a month later, she had stood on that beach with him, professing her love and her promises to him. _

_Elena wore a simple white dress strapless dress that fell to the sand she was standing on. Her hair was left down in curls, and she wore the matching diamond earrings and necklace that Stefan had bought for her._

_Stefan was dressed rather casually in black slacks and a dark blue button down shirt. His eyes never left hers, as he too was focused on the girl in front of him, rather than the stranger reading from a book._

_Damon had stood silently behind Stefan, having been reluctant to show up in the first place. Elena knew Damon thought they were moving too fast, and he was worried about them being so young and knowing so little about each other. But Damon couldn't miss witnessing his little brother getting married. _

_Elena knew it meant the world to Stefan to have Damon there. She only wished she could have had Bonnie there with her too. She and Stefan had decided to get married right before their lives got hectic with work and school, and then later on, if they wanted, they could have a reception to celebrate._

_Bonnie. Bonnie had been furious when Elena had told her of her plans to marry Stefan so soon. It had ended in tears for both she and Bonnie, with Bonnie begging Elena not to go through with it. "If he really loves you, he'll wait" Bonnie had said tearfully._

_Elena hadn't wanted to wait though. She had many fears for her future, but being with Stefan wasn't one of them._

_After they had been pronounced husband and wife, they kissed, sealing their love with an unspoken promise. That day, he had given her a life to look forward to, and she couldn't wait to start each day with him by her side._

It had been just over two years since she and Stefan had said "I do" on the beach, and it hadn't turned out to be the fairytale she had hoped it would be.

The first year and a half had been perfect though. Elena felt like she and Stefan hadn't changed much. She went to school and he went to work. They came home, ate dinner together and talked about their days. Sometimes they waited to have sex until it was time for bed, and other times, they jumped one another the moment they saw each other after a long day. And still other times, they felt quite content just holding each other and falling asleep.

Elena found herself wondering what had happened along the way. She would guess that it was about six months ago when she realized that something wasn't right. When things started to not feel right anymore. But she kept her concerns to herself, because Stefan didn't seem concerned and maybe she was just overreacting to her observations.

Lying there alone in the bed she shared with him gave her time to think about what was bothering her though. The large house Stefan had purchased for them was silent, giving her no distractions.

"He loves me" Elena would repeat to herself when she was alone, waiting for him. She loved him too, so much.

She heard footsteps walking along the wood floor. She stopped breathing as she listened, waiting. Their bedroom door opened slowly as he walked inside, then it closed. Elena heard some shuffling about as he got undressed.

She was absolutely still as he slipped into bed with her wearing only his boxers. His arms found her on her side of the bed and wrapped around her to pull her back against him. Stefan kissed the back of her neck. "I'm sorry I'm late" he whispered.

She let herself breathe finally, when she realized he hadn't been drinking. She couldn't smell it on his breath and she didn't detect it in his speech. Still, she didn't reply to his apology. She hated when he came home late, without a phone call or anything. Elena always worried about him, and she missed him terribly. It wasn't like how it used to be, where they both rushed home to be with one another. Distance had wedged its way between them, and she didn't know why.

Stefan knew she wasn't asleep. He could tell by the way she was breathing. "You're really tense" he whispered, running his hand from her shoulder, down to her hand and linking his fingers with hers.

Elena sighed, knowing she couldn't ignore him all night. "I was worried about you" she whispered. It was past ten o'clock on a Thursday and she hadn't heard from him.

"I left you a voice mail, telling you I'd be at work late" he mentioned. He hadn't meant for her to worry.

Elena hadn't even bothered with her phone, because he usually didn't call her. At least, not when he had been drinking, which was more and more lately.

Stefan felt bad for worrying her. "I'm sorry" he said, apologizing. He leaned in and kissed her shoulder, only to feel her move away from him slightly, as if she was rejecting his touch. That had stung. "Hey" he said, lying still behind her.

Elena's eyes began to sting and a couple of tears escaped. She normally didn't cry in front of him. She waited until he left, or passed out. "It's fine" she answered. Her voice failed her, giving her away.

"Elena" he said, feeling his heart ache. He hated upsetting her, and he hated knowing that she wasn't happy. "What's wrong?" he asked, sensing that she wasn't just upset about him coming home late that night.

Elena let herself take a few calming breathes before she spoke. "I just miss you" she told him. She missed him when he worked late, and she missed him when he was drinking and he wasn't himself.

Hearing her say that was enough to want to make him quit his job on the spot. The last few months had demanded a lot out of him at the office, but at the same time, he was moving up in his career and he was affording her the life he wanted to be able to give her. "Come here" he said, opening up his arms as she turned to face him. Elena immediately melted into him, feeling such relief that he was there holding her. "It won't always be like this" he told her softly.

Elena felt him slip his hand under her tank top and run his fingers up and down her back soothingly. She wanted to believe him, that things would get better. But they had started out so amazing, and she was scared that they would never get that back. "Can you be home for dinner tomorrow night?" she asked in a quiet voice. The only reason he would be home late on a Friday night was if he went out with the guys he worked with, which had been more frequently the last few months.

Stefan kissed the top of her head. "Tomorrow at five o'clock, I'll be heading out the door, on my way home to you" he promised. He was sad to hear her say she missed him, but he knew he was working a lot more lately. Other than that, he felt like his relationship was as great as it was two years ago when he had asked her to marry him. To that day, asking Elena to marry him had been the best decision he had ever made. There was nothing more rewarding then getting to come home and see Elena after a long day's work and wrapping his arms around her and trying to kiss her while she made dinner. He loved listening to her talk about her classes or about how her afternoon went working with Damon. He still loved getting ready for bed with her and then falling asleep with her in his arms.

He loved everything about her.

"You could pick up pizza and we could have a lazy night in" Elena suggested, feeling herself give in to the soothing stokes of his hand on her back. She didn't want to go to sleep quite yet though.

"That sounds perfect" he told her. He began kissing her neck while his hand began to wander, sliding down her hip and resting on the back of her thigh. Elena moaned softly, feeling his lips against the sensitive skin on her neck. Stefan's mouth kissed all the way up to her ear. "What time do you have to be up tomorrow?" he whispered.

Elena felt his hands grab onto the waistband of her pajama bottoms and her heart rate took off. It wasn't always a matter of wanting him. Sometimes, she needed him. "Early" she gasped, feeling him roll her onto her back as he settled on top of her. Elena's arms wrapped around his back, her fingers digging into his skin as she tried to control herself.

Stefan continued kissing her neck, nipping at her skin. "I probably shouldn't do this then" he breathed, slowly sliding her pajama bottoms over her hips and down her legs.

"You most certainly should" Elena told him, lifting her legs slightly to aid him in pulling the bottoms off all the way. They got lost somewhere under the covers at the end of the bed, but Elena didn't think she'd need them again that night.

Stefan smiled against her skin. "You better not blame me when you fall asleep during lecture tomorrow" he said, taunting her as he ran his fingertips lightly up the back of her legs, resting his hands on her hips. His mouth was suddenly on hers, kissing her hard as he rocked his hips against hers. His mouth swallowed her moans, and he could tell by the way she was digging her fingers into his back that he was getting the reaction out of her that he had wanted. He knew how to drive her crazy in bed, and he looked forward to doing it.

His hands slid up her body, sliding under her tank top and running his fingers over the smooth skin of her stomach. She moaned softly, her entire body aching for him.

Stefan's lips slowed over Elena's. He smiled when he looked down at her, hearing her short panting breaths. He remembered the first time they had been together, on the night of their wedding. He had been nervous as hell, until the moment he had Elena in his arms, in their bed. Their first time felt like anything but, and Stefan attributed that feeling to his love for her, and her love for him.

"I love you so much" Stefan whispered, placing a soft kiss against her lips.

Elena paused, letting his words ring in her ears. They were words she had really needed to hear, especially lately. She was so distracted by her thoughts when she felt his strong arms pulling her to sit up in front of him. Stefan grabbed the bottom of her tank top and carefully slid it over her head, sending it flying off to the side.

In the glow of the moonlight coming through the window sat the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her brown eyes stared longingly into his green ones. The trust and love she had for him was what kept him going each day. She was the reason he got up every morning, and the reason he considered himself the luckiest man alive.

Elena shivering had him laying her back down and his body hovering over hers again. He held his weight on his elbows as he kissed her shoulder lazily. Her body felt entirely too wound up for his teasing. "Stefan … please" she begged softly. "I'm ready for you" she whispered. Stefan always liked to take his time though, and while Elena appreciated the attention he gave her, sometimes she got impatient. Especially when they hadn't had sex in a few weeks.

Stefan dropped his hips into hers, letting her feel just how ready he was too. "Soon" Stefan promised, trailing his tongue over her skin until he reached the top of her chest.

Elena held her breath as she felt his mouth seal over left breast, licking and sucking on skin already so sensitive from just his close proximity.

Her back would have bowed off the bed had his weight not been holding her down. His lips were as soft as ever and his mouth so warm. His mouth did things to her she was too embarrassed to talk about sometimes. She didn't think the feeling could get any better, until one of his hands began massaging her other breast.

Elena's breath became more ragged. Her hands found their way into his hair, gripping the tiny tuffs of light brown. Her hums of approval kept him going, his lips and tongue working together. Stefan moved his mouth to her other breast and gave it the same careful attention. "Ahh, Stefan" she hissed, feeling the warmth between her legs now too. She needed him. Badly.

Stefan's lips left her abruptly, causing a groan of disapproval from Elena. He was smiling as he tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, then cupped her face gently in his hands. Slowly though, his smile disappeared. "I need to hear you say it" he said quietly. He needed the reassurance too.

Elena looked up at him, seeing the need in his eyes. She grabbed his hand on her cheek. "I love you, Stefan" she told him. "I'll always love you."

That was all he needed. It was enough to calm him down and to remind him that everything was fine. Slowly, his hands let go of her face. Stefan took his boxers off, kicking them towards the end of the bed. Then he rested his body on top of hers for that warm skin-to-skin contact he knew they were both craving.

Stefan's hand moved to rest on the inside of her thigh, spreading her legs open a little more as he guided himself into her slowly. Elena's head collapsed back into the pillow as she closed her eyes, bit her bottom lip, and moaned contently.

He eased himself out and then back in, giving her a little more of him each time. Elena gasped softly when she felt him push in particularly deep, filling her so fully.

Stefan rested his head against her shoulder, lying still for a moment as he let them both revel in the feeling of being so close. "This" Stefan said, panting softly as every nerve in his body began to tingle with anticipation. "Is the best feeling in the world" he told her. He could feel her heart beating with his against his chest as he lay on top of her, surrounded by her warmth.

Elena wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him close to her. This was one of the good moments she could hold onto. She needed all of them she could get.

It wasn't long before Stefan was back on his elbows, kissing her wildly as his hips thrust against hers, taking care not to hurt her, but giving her what she was crying out for. "Please don't stop" she told him in between labored breaths, moving her hips to match his rhythm. "That's so … so good" she panted. Her back was arched, her nails dug into his skin.

He would bring her to the point where she was teetering on the edge and then he would bring her back down, only to drive her crazy all over again. Stefan growled, feeling the tension of the week leave his body as he made love to the one person he loved. Nothing else mattered when he was with her. The positive feedback she gave in bed only served to keep him going. "I'm close" he said, grunting softly to try and rein back his control.

He shifted his hips slightly, giving them a different position that allowed him to stroke more sensitive areas inside of her. He was just about ready to slip his hand between their bodies to help her out a little, when he felt her body tense suddenly, and then quiver uncontrollably as the intense sensation wracked her body unapologetically. Elena cried out his name, gripping the sheets beside her.

Stefan slowed down his movements, giving her time to calm down. Then he thrust a few more times and cried out his release as well. He collapsed on top of her, his need for air competing with her own need.

He did manage to lift his head up to look at her. All he saw was a very well-loved and satisfied woman. He intended to keep her feeling that way. Gently, Stefan brushed more strands of hair off of her sweaty face, kissing her lips softly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena said a silent prayer when Stefan came home that next evening with a box of pizza in his hand. He was on time, and he was in a good mood. "Hi" he smiled, joining her in the kitchen and kissing her.

"Hi" she smiled back, enjoying one last kiss from him before he walked away to set the pizza down.

Stefan grabbed out two plates from the cupboard. "I'm going to run upstairs and shower real fast" he said. "Did you find a movie?" Stefan asked.

Elena nodded. "There's a few to pick from. I'll let you decide" she replied. Stefan ran upstairs to shower and Elena made a small salad for them. When the door rang, she dried her hands off on a towel and went to answer it. A smiled formed instantly. "Damon" she said. The past two years had given her the opportunity to grow closer to her new brother too. "What brings you by?" she asked curiously. Not that she was complaining.

"I just needed to give this to Stefan" Damon said, holding up a file folder.

"He's upstairs showering" she said, taking the folder from Damon. "We got pizza if you want to join us" she offered. She had taken it upon herself to worry about Damon, because he was all alone in his house.

Damon smiled, but declined her offer. He never liked to intrude, especially now that his little brother and Elena were married. "I'm afraid I can't. I have a lot to do, but thank you" he told her.

Elena sighed. "Well at least come in so I can give you some cinnamon rolls I baked this morning" she said, stepping aside to let him in.

"Cinnamon rolls?" he asked, his face lighting up at the mention of them. Stefan had brought some by one day and Damon swore they were the best things he had ever eaten. "Those cinnamon rolls alone are worth keeping you around" he told her.

Elena laughed as they walked to the kitchen. "I'm glad you like them so much" she replied. Elena was always making enough food for Stefan to take, since Damon so rarely accepted their invitation to come over for dinner. Damon leaned against the counter and watched Elena wrap the cinnamon rolls. "Here you go. I gave you extra frosting" she said, smiling as she set them on the counter for him.

"You're the best, Elena" Damon said, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around her. He hugged her tight, so thankful that his brother had such a great girl in his life.

Stefan came down the stairs, fresh from his quick shower, and found Damon in the kitchen hugging Elena. "Hey" Stefan said.

Damon stepped back, letting go of Elena and turning to look at Stefan. "Hello, Stefan" Damon said. He picked up the folder and held it up. "Think you can look over these reports when you have a spare second?" Damon asked.

Stefan nodded, walking around his brother and wrapping his arm around Elena. "Sure" he said. "Tomorrow. I promised Elena she would have me all to herself this evening." Stefan kissed the side of Elena's head.

"Whenever you get to it is fine" Damon assured him. "I should be going. Elena, thank you again" Damon said, grabbing the cinnamon rolls and smiling at her. "I'll see you two Sunday?" he asked.

"Yes" Elena said, looking forward to it. She and Stefan walked Damon to the door and said their goodbyes.

"Go make yourself comfortable. I'll get the pizza and drinks" he said, kissing her quickly before leaving her side.

Elena plopped down on the couch, tired after a busy week of classes, studying and work. She needed this lazy night in with Stefan.

She couldn't fight the disappointment she felt though when she saw him walking towards her juggling their plates, her glass of tea and a bottle of beer. The reason she hadn't said something about it already was because of the nagging thought in the back of her mind telling her she was making a big deal about nothing.

He liked to have a few drinks. So what? He was 24 years old. If he wanted to drink, then he could.

"Here" he said, sitting down next to her and handing her the glass and plate. "I'm kind of in the mood for something scary" Stefan mentioned, picking up the remote and scrolling through their options. Halloween was nearing and it seemed fitting.

"Sure, sounds good" she said, sounding less enthusiastic than she had wanted to.

He picked right up on it. "What's wrong?" Stefan asked, turning to look at her and watching her pick at her pizza.

Elena shook her head, not wanting to get into this with him right then. She wanted to enjoy an evening with her husband, which was a rare occasion lately. "Nothing" she answered finally.

Stefan turned the T.V. off and turned his entire body towards her. "Something's bothering you" he told her. Elena shifted nervously on the couch next to him. "Hey" he said, grabbing her hand. "You can tell me anything. You know that" Stefan reminded her gently. It was the worse feeling ever, knowing she wasn't happy.

Elena sighed, knowing he wasn't going to drop this. "I don't want you to get mad" she told him, fearing that he might become defensive over what she was going to say.

That had stung, knowing she thought he could ever get mad at her. He couldn't think of a time when he was even a little annoyed with her, let alone mad at her. "I would never get mad at you" he promised.

Elena wished that were true. Sometimes he did get mad at her, he just couldn't ever remember the next day, or whenever he woke up after sleeping off the alcohol. "I've just noticed lately that you're drinking more, and … it … worries me" Elena said quietly, avoiding his eyes. It was made worse by silence from him.

Stefan sat back in the couch and scratched the back of his head, processing what she had just shared with him. "I guess I do have a few drinks every now and then" Stefan stated neutrally. Elena wanted to point out that it was a little more frequently than he thought. "Elena, I'm sorry" he said, apologizing right away. "I had no idea it bothered you. You should have said something sooner" he told her.

Elena felt guilty for how guilty he felt. "I get that you want to kick back and have a drink or two" Elena said. "But sometimes, you have a little too much to drink, and … I don't like seeing you like that." She would leave it at that and not go into detail.

Stefan ran his hand over his face, shocked by what she was telling him. The last thing he had ever wanted to do was give her a reason to be concerned. "I honestly had no idea Elena" he told her. "I don't need to drink. I won't, anymore" he promised. Stefan turned to face her once again and smiled for her, because he could see how uncomfortable she was with the whole conversation. "Thank you, for telling me" he said, reaching his hand up to cup the side of her face. "I'll stop. I will" he told her, reassuring her that he would. Elena nodded her head slowly, believing him. "I love you" he told her, brushing her cheek with his thumb.

Elena felt like she was going to cry, so she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him instead. "I love you too."

**A/N: I'm curious about what you think. Was this what you thought it would be? This is just the beginning. There is more to be revealed …**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: This update was a challenge to write. But I am finally getting the story where I wanted it to be.**

**Please do let me know your thoughts on it. I would very much appreciate it : )**

**Also, can I say how perfect Paul and Nina are on TVD? It is impossible for them to not have chemistry.**

Stefan leaned down and gently kissed Elena as she slept in their bed. He let her sleep in whenever he could, because she did not always get as much sleep as he knew she should get. She was juggling a job, her classes and studying, while still making time to be the most loving and devoted wife he could have asked for.

He brushed some of her hair out of her face, smiling down at her. Elena looked so peaceful while sleeping. "Elena" he whispered.

Her eyes slowly opened to find him staring down at her. She smiled sleepily, happy to see his smiling face. "Hi" she said softly.

"Hi" he said, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "You should probably get up now" he added. They were attending a party with Damon who hadn't wanted to attend by himself. Damon was often invited to these social events by former business clients who were appreciative of Damon and his construction company. Damon just hated attending alone, and he had no one else to go with him.

Stefan worried that his brother would end up alone the rest of his life, because Damon never put in the effort to meet women. His excuse the first few years was that he was still heartbroken over Katherine. Then after that, it was being too busy. Stefan just wanted Damon to meet a great girl. To have someone to love again.

"I suppose I should" Elena agreed, sitting up.

Stefan reached over and grabbed a cup of coffee off of her nightstand. It was from her favorite coffee place. "I got you this" he said, handing it to her.

Elena smiled, taking the coffee from him. "You went out this morning already?" she asked, tasting her coffee. It was exactly what she always ordered. He was so good about remembering what she liked.

"Yeah. I had a few things to do" he told her, sitting down next to her on the bed. "I have something else for you" he said, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a thin silver box. He handed it to Elena.

"What's this?" she asked, setting her coffee back down and examining the box sitting in her hand. She looked up at Stefan as she took the lid off. "Stefan" she said softly, staring at a beautiful white gold heart pendant necklace with two diamonds in the center. "This is beautiful" she told him, smiling with just a little excitement. "What's the occasion?" she asked him, looking up to see Stefan studying her carefully, making sure she had liked his gift.

"Just because" he told her, smiling as he took the necklace out. "And I thought you should have something new to wear to the party this afternoon" he added.

Elena turned slightly so that he could fasten the necklace around her neck. "I love it. Thank you" she said, turning back to face him. Her fingers played with the heart pendent. She was incredibly lucky to be with a man as generous as Stefan was.

"You're welcome" he told her. It was Elena who leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, but he was the one to wrap his arms around her and pull her closer, deepening the kiss she had started and leaving them both breathless.

As Elena stood in front of their bathroom mirror an hour later, she admired the necklace he had given her moments earlier. Things had been better, a lot better, the past week since she had confronted him about his drinking. Elena hadn't seen any signs that he had even had one drink since. He came home after work every night, except one night where he called and told her he had a last minute meeting. They ate dinner together and then couldn't find a reason to keep their hands off each other. If only she had said something sooner.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena could hear Damon and Stefan downstairs, laughing about something. She could bet that they were lounging on the couch waiting for her. She was right.

They both stood immediately upon seeing her. Their impeccable manners always impressed her. "You guys ready?" she asked, putting a small white sweater on that matched the light blue dress she had chosen to wear. Elena had also decided to wear her hair in curls for something different. She must have looked alright because Stefan couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"You look beautiful" Stefan said, walking to her. He grabbed her hand in his and leaned in to give her a quick kiss.

Elena smiled, looking into his eyes. "Thank you" she told him, reaching her hand up to wipe off the little bit of lipstick left on his lips. "You look great too" she added. Then she turned to see Damon watching them, but pretending not to be. "You look great too, Damon" she told him. Seeing them dressed up was one of her favorite things.

"Thank you, Elena" Damon replied, his eyes brightening upon being included. "And my brother is right. You look beautiful."

Elena was sure she blushed. "Thank you" she said politely.

Stefan wrapped his arm around her, placing his hand flat against the small of her back. "Shall we?" he asked. He was excited to show his wife off at this party. Like he was at all the parties.

"Oh, wait. I forgot my purse upstairs" Elena said, placing her hand on his chest. "I'll go and grab it real fast" she told him, beginning to leave his side.

Stefan stopped her. "I'll get it" he said, smiling at her. He left her, a bit of a skip in his step as he went back upstairs.

Damon couldn't help but smile. "He adores you" Damon told her, leaning against the armrest on the couch. "I can tell by the way he looks at you."

She was flattered by his comment, though sometimes she couldn't help but wonder what Stefan saw in her. She was nothing special. "And how can you tell by the way he looks at me?" Elena asked Damon curiously.

His smile slowly faded, and so did his eye contact with her. He shifted his weight nervously and looked down at his hands. "Because it's the same way I used to look at Katherine" he said, sadness laced in his voice. He loved Katherine more than words could describe.

It made Elena's heart hurt, hearing and seeing Damon so crushed by Katherine's absence.

"Damon" she said quietly, wanting so desperately to reach out to him. The moment she stepped forward, Stefan came jogging back down the stairs.

"Got it" he announced, oblivious to the change in mood in his living room.

Both Damon and Elena wiped the sadness from their faces. "Thank you" Elena said, forcing a smile for her husband as she looked up at him. Stefan leaned down and kissed her quickly before wrapping his arm around her. They all walked out together.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Elena wasn't sure if her face could hurt anymore or not, but all of the smiling she had been doing for over an hour was starting to take it's toll. Everyone she met and talked with was incredibly nice, even if she didn't quite fit in with that group. She had to remind herself though that Stefan and Damon both had money, and therefore she was just like everyone else in the eyes of her fellow party guests.

The women wore elegant dresses and Elena found herself wondering if she had underdressed for this garden party she was attending. They also wore jewelry that was rather stunning. Then again, her ring was nothing to balk at. If you stared at it directly for too long, it would blind you.

Both Stefan and Damon carried themselves so well when interacting with the other guests. Even Stefan, who she had thought was kind of shy sometimes, carried a conversation with almost everyone there. He even invited Elena into the conversation, bringing up her interest in marine biology. He was so proud of her and where she was going and he liked everyone else to know it too.

Elena had slipped away eventually, taking a trip to the lady's room. She stood at the sink, looking down at her wedding ring. It was the first thing people noticed about her on campus. After all, not many women her age were married, let alone sporting a ring like the one she had.

She smiled, feeling incredibly happy to be there at the party with Stefan. She missed him when she wasn't with him, and couldn't get enough of him when she was.

Elena left the bathroom in search of Stefan. She hoped that he would dance with her, since there was a small dance floor and a live band singing. Elena loved dancing with Stefan. Even at home, he would play a song on the stereo and grab her hand, inviting her to dance with him. He was such a romantic that way.

She scanned the garden area in search of him. She smiled when she saw him and then started towards him. As Stefan turned slightly, she saw the drink in his hand, causing her to falter to a halt. Anxiety crept into her chest as she watched him. Stefan was talking with a small group of men who were all enjoying a drink from the glass tumblers they held.

When Stefan brought the glass to his lips and drank, she was left feeling betrayed. He had promised her he would stop drinking. Yet there he was.

Her eyes started to sting with tears threatening to spill. Elena took a shallow breath in, letting it out slowly to calm herself down. And Stefan kept taking drinks from the glass he was holding. He wasn't even trying to hide it.

"Elena, there you are!" one of the wives said, grabbing onto her arm. "Come, come! Us girls are meeting in the tea room" she said, tugging on Elena to follow.

Elena composed herself quickly, hoping none of the women would see that she was about ready to cry. She needed a distraction, or maybe some time away from Stefan to figure out what she was going to say to him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As pleasant as the women had been during tea, Elena just couldn't enjoy herself. Her mind kept drifting back to Stefan drinking. The more she thought about it, the more upset she was. Elena still had no idea how she would approach him on the subject. The first time, she had been an adult about it, talking calmly and rationally.

Obviously, that had not worked. She didn't yell at him or fight with him ever. It scared her to think that was where she was headed in terms of dealing with him. Stefan was not respecting her concerns the way she had hoped he would.

Elena felt a pair of arms wrap around her suddenly. Stefan's mouth was near her ear as he pulled her back against his chest. She could almost instantly smell the alcohol on his breath. "Hey" he said seductively.

Her entire body tensed. He hadn't just been drinking. He was drunk. She knew that voice. The voice she dreaded. "You're drunk" she accused, keeping her voice low so as not to make a scene. She pulled his arms off of her and moved away from him.

But Stefan didn't give up, following her and wrapping his arms around her again. "I'm … not …" he said slowly, trying to form a coherent sentence. "Not. I am not … not drunk" he slurred slightly, leaning forward and losing his balance, nearly knocking her down.

"Stop it Stefan" Elena pleaded quietly, not wanting to cause a scene. What the hell was she supposed to do with her drunk husband the rest of the afternoon? She couldn't let him continue to wander around drunk. "You promised me" she told him, her voice sounding as upset as she felt.

Stefan sighed as he closed his eyes and held Elena tight. "I love you" he told her, resting his chin on her shoulder. Then he laughed, and Elena couldn't think of one single thing in that moment that was funny. "I wanna dance" he whined, beginning to sway with her in a very uncoordinated way.

Elena again pried his hands off of her and slipped away. "You are unbelievable" she told him, shaking her head. "We're going home" she informed him.

Stefan smiled at her, his eyes completely glazed over from the alcohol he had indulged in. "You're so … pret … pretttttty" he slurred, taking a step towards her and reaching his hand out for her.

Elena wiped away the first tear that fell from her eye. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling more vulnerable in that moment than she had in a long time. "Stefan, please" she said, hating herself for begging. She just didn't want others to see him like that.

"Elena Elena Elena" he rattled off, taking a step back to sit down in a nearby chair. He missed the chair and fell to the floor, muttering as he lay on his back and stared up at the sky. "Ughhhhh" he groaned.

Elena felt herself start to panic as she watched a few people turn to stare at Stefan. No one was rushing to help him, probably because they knew Stefan was just drunk. Crying silently, she walked over to Stefan quickly and grabbed his arm, trying to help him up. "Get up" she bit out. Stefan was doing nothing to help get himself up. He alternated between groaning and laughing.

"Elena?" Damon asked, running towards her and his brother. He knelt down beside Elena and could see her crying. All he had to do was look at his brother to understand what the problem was. His brother was drunk off his ass. "I've got him" Damon said, wrapping his arm around Stefan and getting him to stand up. Stefan swayed against his brother, but at least his brother could support the extra weight.

"I'm finnnnne" Stefan whined in his drunken state. He stumbled over his own feet as Damon led him towards the parking lot. Elena kept her head down as they walked, very much aware of the crowd they were now drawing. She was so embarrassed. She'd never be able to show her face at any of those events again. "Lemme go!" Stefan yelled belligerently. He yanked his arm away from Damon, intent on walking himself. He made it a few steps before stumbling forward on the grass. His attempts to get himself back up were just plain pathetic.

As the seconds passed by, Elena felt her chest tighten even more. Her emotions were all over the place, because she wanted to scream at him but also keep him from hurting himself. Yet she didn't do either one. She simply stood back and watched as Damon took over. "Get your ass up" Damon said gruffly, having lost all patience for his little brother. Damon reached down and grabbed Stefan, pulling him back up to his feet.

Again, Stefan yanked himself free. He stumbled back a few steps, but caught himself and surprisingly was able to balance for the time being. "Fuck you Damon" Stefan spat drunkenly.

Damon bit back his anger, realizing that his brother couldn't have a rational, coherent conversation about how stupid he was acting. "Just get in the damn car Stefan!" Damon ordered. He grabbed Stefan again, much to Stefan's displeasure.

When they got to the car finally, Stefan was putting up more of a fight, refusing to get in. "Stefan, please" Elena begged. Tears fell down her face and all she wanted was to go home.

Stefan turned on her, pointing his finger at her. She looked into his eyes, but she couldn't find him. Not the real him. "You shut up" Stefan warned, his voice threatening and angry. His words made her step back, weary of him.

Before she knew it, Damon was slamming Stefan up against the car, pinning him there and getting in his face. "You do not speak to her that way" Damon growled. He didn't care if his brother was drunk and acting out. Damon would not tolerate it.

"Get off me!" Stefan yelled, turning his anger back to his brother. Stefan tried to shove Damon, but Damon didn't budge.

"Elena, open the door for me please" Damon told her. He was going to get Stefan in that car one way or another. Elena did so, and it was an all-out struggle for the next five minutes or so. Elena covered her mouth as she watched. Her tears didn't stop.

When Damon finally got Stefan in the car and shut the door on him, he looked disheveled from struggle with Stefan. His shirt was untucked and his tie was loose. "You're bleeding" Elena said, her face full of worry.

Damon touched his lip to confirm that he was. "His elbow hit me. I'm fine" he told her. "Look, I'm going to take you home and then take Stefan back to my house. Let him sober up" he explained. They both looked through the window to see Stefan lying across the back seat. They could also hear him yelling. "With any luck, he'll pass out on the drive home" Damon told her. That would be the best outcome.

Elena nodded, wiping at the tears still on her face. She couldn't imagine how her day could have started out so perfectly and ended like this.

"Hey" Damon said, getting her to look at him. "I'll take care of this" he told her. He wasn't about to let his little brother ruin the best relationship he would ever have over something as stupid as drinking.

Damon turned to walk around to the driver's side of the car when Elena spoke. "He promised he'd stop" Elena said, hearing her voice crack and feeling her tears come back. "I told him I don't like seeing him like this. That it worries me" she said sadly. She lifted her eyes to meet Damon's. He looked shocked at first, like he couldn't believe he didn't know about any of this. Then he looked as though his heart was breaking for her in that moment. "He promised" she repeated, crying softly. She didn't know why Stefan had broken his promise to her. It hurt her to know he couldn't keep his promise to her.

As much as Damon wanted to hug her, he refrained. His own mind was racing as he listened to Elena. "How long has this been going on?" Damon asked cautiously. He had assumed this afternoon was the first incident. Maybe Stefan had a rough week at work and let loose a little too much. Obviously that was not the case.

Too long. "Since March" Elena said sadly. Six months roughly. She remembered perfectly the day she had come home and found him drunk, carrying on and on about the satellite dish not working. They didn't even have a satellite dish. She had been concerned, but she chalked it up to him being stressed at work too. She thought he was just taking on more responsibilities at the company, so things would mellow out soon.

But it never did. His drinking had slowly gotten worse and more frequent. But that afternoon was probably the worst she had ever seen him. He was truly unmanageable. It scared her to think about Damon not being there to intervene.

Damon's face lost all emotion as he listened to Elena. All this time, and he had no idea what was going on. It scared him though to think that his little brother was acting this way. Stefan didn't drink that much and become belligerent. And he never spoke that way to Elena. "It's going to be okay" Damon told her. Because that was all he could think of to say.

She wanted to believe Damon. She had to believe him.

Because seeing Stefan like that would slowly destroy her.

**A/N: Well, I suppose this is the ugly side of him. And you all are still probably wondering how Stefan got to this point. You will get answers.**

**This story will show how love will be tested in the most difficult way.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Another update for you all. Thank you for your interest in this story!**

**There are two flashbacks in this update and I have dated them to reflect their wedding night, as some of you expressed interest in reading about it. **

_August 31__st__, 11:00 PM_

_It was late by the time they made it back to the apartment after the ceremony. Once the officiant had departed, the three of them had stayed back on the beach so Damon could get a few pictures of the new bride and groom. Elena had been thrilled to learn that photography had been a hobby of Damon's at one point. His pictures had turned out beautifully. _

_Elena wasn't disappointed that they would not be departing on a romantic honeymoon anytime soon. She was starting school and he was starting his new job. They did have a few dates in mind of when they might actually be able to get away together, but nothing was set in stone. _

_Despite them returning to the apartment after the ceremony so late, Elena knew that the evening was far from over. They didn't need to jet off to some romantic location in order to officially share their bed together as husband and wife. It was probably the one thing she had been nervous about all day. They hadn't even seen each other fully naked. _

_Elena hadn't been sure if Stefan was traditional in the sense that he had wanted to wait until marriage, but he never initiated sex with her. And if he had been waiting until he was married to her, well, he didn't have to wait long at all. It was a nice thought to think about, waiting until she was married. But Stefan wouldn't be her first and she wasn't sure if she needed to bring that up with him or not._

_When they walked inside the apartment, Elena shrugged out of the little jacket she wore over her dress. Stefan took it from her and hung it up. She turned around to face him and played with her hands nervously. He looked somewhat nervous too, but she could tell he was looking forward to what was in store for the rest of the night._

"_Can I have a minute?" Elena asked. She wanted to relax a little before they moved into the bedroom together. Their bedroom. She practically slept in there every night with him, but tonight would be different. _

_Stefan nodded his head, understanding completely. He felt guilty for bringing her back to their apartment on their wedding night. Maybe he should have booked them a nice hotel suite, but everything had been so last minute that he hadn't had time. He promised himself he would make it up to her. "Take your time" he told her, reaching out and grabbing her left hand._

_She smiled when his thumb brushed over her ring. She wondered when she would get used to having that ring on her hand. "Five minutes" she told him, her hand slipping from his as she turned and walked away, her dress dragging across the floor now that she had kicked her heels off._

_Stefan gave her the five minutes she had requested before he went to her. _

_Elena was standing in front of the mirror in their room, looking at herself. She looked lost in thought and he almost backed up out of the room quietly to give her some more time. But, she saw him. Her eyes caught his in the mirror and she smiled. "I need help with the zipper" she said._

_Stefan walked to her, stopping behind her. He didn't unzip her right away, choosing to take a moment to take in her beauty. He knew she was beautiful, but there was something about her in a white dress that accentuated her beauty. Stefan was going to get to wake up to her beautiful face, knowing she had chosen him to spend her life with. "You look beautiful today" he said, reaching his hand up and grabbing the zipper. Elena smiled, blushed even. Stefan slowly pulled her zipper down, revealing more of her skin along the way._

_Then he rested his hands on her shoulders, moving the straps of her dress off of her shoulders. The dress fell down and pooled at her feet, leaving her in just a silky white bra and panties. He had to clear his throat to compose himself. "Wow" he said, his eyes glued to her._

_Elena smiled. "You sure do know how to make a girl feel special" she told him._

_Stefan wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Then he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "You have no idea how special I intend to make you feel" he told her. And he wasn't just talking about what the night was leading up to. He meant for the rest of their lives._

_He grabbed her hand and led her towards the bed. They stopped and stared at one another, smiling from both nerves and excitement. Elena pushed his jacket off of his shoulders and then undid his tie. But unbuttoning his shirt was probably the most rewarding. His abs were a sight she looked forward to seeing. _

_Stefan shrugged out of his shirt, watching Elena admire the outcome of many hours at the gym. He didn't bother to interrupt her as he undid his belt and pants._

"_Come here" he said, taking her hand and pulling her closer. Then he wrapped his arm behind her and the other behind her knees, picking her up to carry her. Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed, enjoying his romantic gesture. Stefan walked around to the side of the bed and set her down gently. _

_She patted the spot next to her and he moved to be with her. They laid there quietly for a few moments, just staring at one another, taking each other in. Elena wasn't sure how they were supposed to go from looking at each other to sex. Maybe he needed to know something first. You were supposed to be honest with your husband. "Umm … I want to tell you something" she said nervously, moving a loose piece of hair behind her ear. _

_Stefan rested his hand on her waist, giving her his full attention. "Anything" he told her, meaning it._

_She took a small breath. "I've been with someone else" she said quickly. "You won't be my first" she added, hoping he wouldn't be too disappointed in her. There had been a guy her senior year, before she met Stefan._

_He had to admit, he was a little surprised. But he wasn't disappointed. "You won't be my first either" he admitted. There had been a couple girls in college. "But we'll be each other's lasts, right?" he asked, giving her a small smile that she returned._

"_Yes" she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck again and inviting him closer. Stefan settled on top of her, his lips finding hers to kiss._

"_I love you Elena. So much" he whispered._

"_I love you too, Stefan."_

The grandfather clock in the living room struck 9:00 PM, startling her from thinking about her wedding night with Stefan.

Elena had been studying unsuccessfully for the past few hours after Damon had dropped her off at home. She was worried about Stefan and wondered how Damon was handling her husband's drunken state. Elena thought about calling Damon, but then she changed her mind. She trusted Damon to handle his younger brother.

Elena sighed as she closed her physics book, deciding to call it a night. It was still too early for her to fall asleep, but she figured she should get a head start because she always had difficulty sleeping when Stefan wasn't home.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Damon was staring at Stefan when he woke up early the next morning. Stefan squinted as the bright light in the room blinded him. "Turn that light off" Stefan groaned, covering his eyes with his arm. He groaned again when he realized he had slept on a couch all night. His back and leg felt cramped. "Ughhhhh my head" Stefan whined.

"You feel like shit?" Damon asked. Stefan nodded. "Good" Damon answered, receiving a glare from Stefan. "Serves you right for the bullshit you pulled yesterday afternoon."

Stefan looked at him like he had no idea what Damon was talking about. He tried to sit up, but immediately regretted it. "Where's Elena?" Stefan asked, recognizing that he was in his brother's house.

"If you're lucky, she's at home" Damon told him, crossing his arms and staring at his brother with a hardened look.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Stefan asked, forcing himself to sit up. He placed his feet flat on the floor as he sat on the edge of the couch. He stretched his neck from side to side and winced.

Damon came and sat on the coffee table across from Stefan. "You don't remember anything?" Damon asked.

Stefan shook his head no. "Can I have some Aspirin or something?" Stefan asked. "I hurt from being on this damn couch all night" he grumbled.

Damon reached over and grabbed the bottle of Aspirin next to him, tossing it at Stefan. "Couldn't be that you were drunk off your ass and fell down a whole bunchyesterday " Damon mentioned.

Stefan swallowed two pills and then paused, taking in what his brother had just said. "I didn't have that much to drink" Stefan said defensively. One drink, two max.

Damon raised an eyebrow at his brother. But there was no use in arguing with Stefan by replaying all the events of the afternoon to him to prove it. Damon only needed to replay one important event for Stefan to get him to understand the seriousness of his behavior. "She was in tears, Stefan" Damon said. He watched Stefan's expression change from defensive to confused to worried. Stefan hated seeing Elena cry. It broke his heart. Damon knew his brother would never want to purposively hurt Elena. "What the hell is going on with you Stefan?" Damon asked solemnly. He really hoped that Stefan would open up to him.

"Nothing" Stefan answered. He was back to being defensive. Any hint of worry had been erased from his features. "I need to get home." He needed to see Elena.

Damon gave his brother a hard look before he shook his head some, then stood up. He was frustrated and scared that Stefan was drinking like this and not opening up about why. "I'll take you home at noon" he said, walking away from his little brother, probably for the first time in his life.

Stefan blew out a frustrated breath as he rubbed his aching head. He fell back into the couch, content on getting a few mores hours of sleep. Maybe he would feel better when he woke up again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A typical Sunday morning usually went one of two ways for Elena. Sometimes she would wake up and go for a short run to get some exercise. Then she'd hit the shower and crack open one of her textbooks to get a little studying done. Sometimes, Stefan would take her out to brunch. Usually, they stayed in, and she was perfectly okay with that.

Or, she would wake up next to Stefan, seeing him staring at her like he had been watching her for a while. Sometimes they would caress each other slowly, taking in the feeling of just being next to each other. Other times, he'd have her pinned down to their mattress before she could even get a "good morning" out.

Waking up without him next to her made her realize how much she had come to depend on having him there. She hadn't really slept at all, and by 5 AM she had given up on even trying. So she just laid there until late morning, feeling her aching heart beat inside of her chest. She would rub at her chest every once in a while, trying to relieve the dull pain she was feeling.

She couldn't make sense of Stefan's behavior lately. But hearing him tell her to shut up had hurt more than she could ever tell him.

So she needed to focus on the happier times, to remind herself that it hadn't always been so bad. She had a year and a half with Stefan that exceeded any expectations she could have had. They were married with their responsibilities, but they were still young and they took advantage of it. Weekend getaways when they could, even if it was just to the beach.

Stefan treated her exactly how her father had said she deserved to be treated by a man. Elena was sure that her father would have liked Stefan a lot. Her mother would have adored him.

Elena turned over to face the side of the bed Stefan normally slept on. She reached her hand out to touch the cold sheets. She could hardly stand the thought of him gone, so she closed her eyes tight, content with hiding out in her bed for a little while longer.

_August 31__st__, Continued_

_Elena bit her bottom lip, feeling his hips rock into hers slowly. His fingers were intertwined with hers, holding her hands down just above her head. His lips were exploring, sometimes kissing and sometimes nipping. He had so many sensations running through her body that her brain couldn't keep up._

_She had expected her first time with Stefan to be nice. Just nice. She was incredibly wrong because it had been amazing. He took his time, never rushing. _

_His movements slowed and his hips rolled into her at an achingly slow pace. She couldn't keep in the small moan of appreciation. Her fingers tightened, digging in to his hands. "Please, more" she said, panting softly. She didn't realize how desperate she was until she heard her own voice. How was this even really happening right now?_

_Stefan's lips found her ear, warming her with small panting breaths of his own. Elena had no idea how long they had been at it, but she could tell that he was holding on for her, making it last. If he was so selfless in other aspects of her life, what made her think he wouldn't be selfless in bed too? "Like this?" he asked, rolling his hips even slower while tracing the shell of her ear with his tongue._

_There was a brief pause on her end, and then an "oh God" escaped her as the pulsating feeling took over. Her thighs began to quiver and her hands had his in a death grip as she experienced what she was sure only he could do to her. To make it even more glorious, he didn't stop. He continued to roll his hips slowly, giving her that extra bit of stimulation for as long as he could._

_As the seconds passed, her body felt tingly and light. _

_A smile fell across her lips as Stefan continued to love her. She wasn't sure what she had done to deserve him, but she promised herself she would never take him for granted._

_Elena wasn't sure what time it was when they actually fell asleep. As exhausted as they both were from the excitement of the wedding and the sex they had enjoyed after, both had still stayed up talking for hours. _

_So when she sat up the next morning, she felt the effects of such little sleep. All completely worth it though. The ring on her hand caught her eye first, followed by her sexy husband sleeping next to her. His hair was ruffled and nowhere as neat as he usually kept it._

_Deciding to let him sleep a little longer, she leaned down and kissed the side of his head. "I love you" she whispered. Then she got out of bed, wrapping a sheet around her as she went to find clothes. _

_When she was dressed in underwear and one of his flannel button down shirts, she made her way to the kitchen for coffee. Elena had some paperwork to get filled out before she started her first day of classes. But she couldn't find the stack she had left on the counter the day before. _

"_Looking for something?" Stefan asked sleepily, standing at the end of the hallway in only a pair of sweats. Seeing him like that made her reach for the countertop to steady herself._

"_My loan papers. I need to get those finished before I start classes" she answered._

_Stefan walked towards her slowly. "I threw them away" he told her._

_Elena looked at him with confusion. "Why?" she asked. _

_Stefan didn't answer until he reached her. His hands came to rest on her hips and he looked her over. Elena felt herself blush, because his grin told her he liked seeing her in his shirt. "Because I'm going to pay for your tuition" he told her. Elena opened her mouth to disagree with him, but he placed his finger on her lips, stopping her. "I want to do this" he said, looking into her overwhelmed eyes. "You're my wife now and I want to provide for you" he explained._

_Elena shook her head no. "You do provide for me, Stefan" she reassured him. He had since the day she moved in a few months back. "But I can't let you pay for my education. Your money shouldn't go entirely to taking care of me."_

_Stefan wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her even closer to him. He was smiling. Really smiling. "You made me so happy last night Elena, when you stood with me and promised to love me and be with me" he told her. I can't wait to start my life with you, and that means making sure you have everything you need" Stefan told her softly. _

_Elena sighed. She couldn't argue with a man who was so happy. "But can we afford this?" she asked. _

_Stefan nodded. "I did the math. I figured out how much we'd have to pay each month to cover tuition and books" he explained. "I just want you to enjoy college without worrying about how you will pay for it."_

_That thought crossed her mind a lot. "I … I don't know what to say" she told him. So she smiled and hugged him. "Thank you" she said softly._

_Stefan hugged her back, feeling thrilled that he had taken some of her stress away. "You're welcome" he told her. They stood in an embrace for a few moments. "So, does this mean we can go back to bed now?" Stefan asked._

_Elena laughed as she let go of him and stepped back. "I suppose we can" she told him. She laughed again when Stefan picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, making his way back to their bed with her._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

As promised, Damon had dropped Stefan off around noon. Stefan ignored his older brother the entire drive over, and Damon decided to not make a big deal about it.

Stefan got out of the car and muttered a thank you before heading towards his front door. He was eager to get inside to Elena, but he waited at the door until he heard Damon drive off. The last thing he needed was Damon hovering around. Stefan needed to be alone with Elena to fix the mess he had created the day before.

He still wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but he felt like shit still. A long hot shower would do him some good.

As Stefan walked into the house, he was met with silence. Usually if Elena was home by herself, she had the TV or the stereo on. There were no lights on either. "Elena?" he called out. Nothing.

Stefan walked into the kitchen and saw that her car keys were not where she usually kept them. There was no note, and she hadn't called or sent him a text either.

Panic seeped into his chest as Damon's words replayed in his mind. "If you're lucky, she's at home." The thought of Elena leaving him was unbearable. His heart literally ached. So he went upstairs quickly, seeking out any indication that maybe she had left for good.

To his relief, all of her things were still in their room. Everything in the bathroom, including her toothbrush and hair supplies, were all in place. None of her clothes appeared to be missing, and the bag she usually packed for trips was still in the closet.

Stefan let out a painful, heavy sigh as he sunk to the floor and leaned against the bed. He didn't know what he would do if Elena ever left him. It drove him crazy just thinking about it. She had promised him a forever, and he had done everything in his power to keep her happy. He had given her a big, beautiful home, a nice vehicle and anything and everything she wanted. He had given her stability and a family with him and Damon. Most importantly, he had given her his love.

He had even waited until they were married to sleep with her, believing he needed to do things the right way with her. She was too special not to.

"She can't leave me" Stefan said sadly, his legs spread out as he tipped his head back against the bed and closed his eyes.

He wasn't sure how long he sat on the floor for when he decided to get up. He went downstairs to his office and logged onto his computer, knowing that Elena's tuition payment was coming due.

Once he was done, he logged back off of his computer and went to the kitchen to find something to eat. Nothing sounded good because his stomach still felt sick. Elena still wasn't home and while he thought about calling her, he never did. Stefan figured she was really mad at him and just needed some time to herself. He didn't blame her, though he missed her.

Stefan went back to his office and sat down, deciding to get a little work done from home. When his computer started up again, he focused on Damon's finances for the construction company, reviewing all inventory and services. It let him get his mind off of Elena. For a little while.

When another few hours had passed and Elena still was not home, he started to worry. He picked up his phone to call her, but all he got was her voicemail. Just hearing her voice tell him to leave a message broke his heart into a thousand tiny little pieces.

His phone hit his desk with more force than was necessary to reflect his frustrated and worried mood. Stefan opened up his bottom drawer to grab for a calculator when he saw the bottle of bourbon sitting upright in the back of the drawer. He wasn't even sure how it had ended up there, but he knew he hadn't touched it in a while. But his hand twitched now as the desire to just have a little grew strong.

Stefan quickly shut his desk drawer, not wanting to give into the temptation.

He just couldn't focus, knowing the alcohol was in there with him. Instead of getting up and leaving, he opened his drawer and grabbed for the bourbon instead. Stefan unscrewed the cap and then pressed the bottle to his lips, taking a drink. It burned going down, but he welcomed it.

He welcomed it so much that he didn't put the bottle back down.

**A/N: The next update may require you to find someone to hug. I apologize ahead of time. **


End file.
